Congress moves SC against EC's order revoking Kamal Nath's star campaigner status

UPDATE at 4:00 PM

Cong leer Kamal Nath moves SC against EC taking away his 'star campaigner' status in MP bypolls, says lawyer Vivek Tankha

Congress party will move Supreme Court against Election Commission of India’s order revoking "star campaigner" status of former Mhya Presh CM Kamal Nath. Earlier on Friday, EC revoked Nath's 'star campaigner' status after repeated violations of Model Code of Conduct. This essentially means that expenditure — including  cost of his travel, food, lodging - of Kamal Nath's campaign, will be ded to candidate's poll expenses, whereas when a leer is given status of star campaigner, expenses go to party account. 

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On Monday, EC ruled that Kamal Nath h violated its visory by describing BJP's Imarti Devi as "item". Dated April 29, 2019, visory re, "political parties and candidates to refrain from any deeds/actions/utterances that may be construed as being repugnant to hour and dignity of women". 

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Apart from this case, Kamal Nath also faces FIRs in Gwalior, Datia for violating COVID-19 SOPs in a rally. Mhya Presh High Court's Gwalior bench ordered an FIR against Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Nath for violation, restraining district magistrates from permitting physical campaigning unless it was proved that conducting virtual election campaign was t possible and Election Commission approved it in writing. BJP has moved SC, challenging this order.

Kamal Nath calls Imarti Devi 'item'

Last Sunday, Nath referred to Scindia loyalist and minister Imarti Devi as an 'item', while dressing a rally in Dabra. Backing Congress candidate - Suresh Raje, he contrasted Raje's 'simple' nature to Imarti Devi's 'flipping' to BJP. He jokingly told people, 'you should have warned me of her nature'. Meanwhile, Congress leer Ajay Singh stirred ar controversy, calling Imarti Devi as 'Jalebi Devi' - referring to famous sweetmeat.

RE | Use of 'item' violates visory:EC pulls up Kamal Nath, vises him t to use such a word

Taking action against Mhya Presh ex-CM Kamal Nath, BJP has filed a complaint with Election Commission against Nath for his 'item' remark against state's Minister of Women and Child Development Imarti Devi. CM Shivraj Chouhan held a 2-hour silent protest at Bhopal on Monday morning while several BJP workers burnt effigies of Kamal Nath. While ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has rebuked Nath for his jibe, ex-MP CM has contended that context of his 'item' jibe was completely misunderstood.  Alleging that complaint was an "election driven narrative" of BJP, he stated that re was ill will and malice in his speech.

RE | EC revokes ex-CM Kamal Nath's 'star campaigner' status over 'item' jibe & or violations