The Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday barred Nadia (West Bengal) BJP chief Mahadev Sarkar from campaigning for 48 hours for allegedly making statements attacking personal life of TMC leader Mahua Moitra.
The ban came into effect from Friday 4 pm itself and will remain in place till 4 pm on April 28.
"The Commission under Article 324 of the constitution of India and all other powers enabling in this behalf, also bars Mahadev Shankar, District President, BJP, Nadia from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media in connection with ongoing elections for 48 hours," EC said in its order.
The EC order came after Supreme Court on Thursday asked EC to pass appropriate directions over a plea filed by Moitra on a "sexist remark" made against her during an election campaign.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi asked the ECI to pass appropriate direction on the petition filed by Moitra against Sarkar.
The TMC lawmaker had knocked the doors of the apex court seeking action against the BJP leader for allegedly making sexist remarks against her.
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Moitra had alleged that Sarkar, during an election campaign in West Bengal's Krishna Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, had made remarks that were "sexually coloured" in nature.
EC in its order said that Sarkar had violated the Model Code of Conduct (paragraph 1(2)) which states that criticism of political parties shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work.
"Parties and candidate shall refrain from criticisms of all aspects of private life not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other political parties," the poll body said.
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