Election Commission seeks report on PM Modi's Balakot strike remarks

The Election Commission has taken cognizance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks asking first-time voters to dedicate their vote to those who carried out the air strike in Balakot, and has sought a report from poll officials in Maharashtra.

Sources in the poll panel said on Tuesday that the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra has been asked to submit a report at the earliest. Addressing a rally in Ausa in Mahrashtra's Latur, PM Modi said, "Can your first vote be dedicated to those who carried out the air strike."

"I want to tell the first-time voters: can your first vote be dedicated to the veer jawans (valiant soldiers) who carried out the air strike in Pakistan). Can your first vote be dedicated to the veer shaheed (brave martyrs) of Pulwama (terror attack)," PM Modi said.

The report has been sought in the context of an EC advisory issued last month asking parties to desist from indulging in political propaganda involving actions of the armed forces.

"...parties/candidates are advised that their campaigners/candidates should desist, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of defence forces," the commission had said on March 19.