Election Commission asks political parties to stop using photos of armed forces personnel in their campaign
The Election Commission has asked all political parties to avoid using the photograph of soldiers and military operations in their election campaign. The Commission has asked the leaders of all political parties to strictly follow this.
The Commission has asked the political parties to avoid doing so by taking a cognizance of the use of the photograph of Wings Commander Abhinandan of Indian Air Force in a poster of a political party. It is notable that the commission had issued a directive on the complaint of the Ministry of Defense in December 2013. In this, the Defence Ministry drew the attention of Election commission to stop the use of photograph of the army personnel in the election campaign and requested to issue appropriate instructions to stop it.
The Commission has said in its directive that the security forces are the neutral custodian of the security of the border and political system of the country. In such a situation, political parties and their leaders need to be extremely careful while resorting to any form of reference of military forces in their election campaign. In view of this, military forces photographs should not be used in the election campaign by the political parties.
Many Political parties used the Wing Commander Abhinandan photo in their campaign.
AAP’s Chandni Chowk candidate seeking vote in the name of Abhinandan.
— अंकुर सिंह (@iAnkurSingh) March 10, 2019
He belongs to the party whose head calls security forces Thullas pic.twitter.com/yBhz39SCpo
Wing Cdr Abhinandan on a BJP election poster. Limit !!!! Tough times for the armed forces, no it’s not the security challenges & the two & half front war. The challenge is from within, politicisation of the apolitical armed forces coupled with degradation. pic.twitter.com/ewl45F42e1
— Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia (@Ptr6Vb) March 10, 2019
Did you see any journalist attacking AAP for using Abhinandan for political gains? pic.twitter.com/h96TXRJLV9
— अंकुर सिंह (@iAnkurSingh) March 10, 2019
