March 10, 2019:

A banner showing IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinanadan Varthaman’s photo on a BJP campaign was reported recently.

Political parties & candidates will not be able to use photographs of any defence personnel or functions of the defence forces in their poll advertisements for the coming general election, with the Election Commission on Saturday reiterating its instructions issued in 2013 against such propaganda.

Even though general elections to the Lok Sabha & some state assemblies is yet to be announced, the Commission wrote to all the recognised national & state political parties on Saturday saying that it had come to its notice that some parties were using photographs of defence personnel in advertisements as part of their political campaigns.

Recalling its instructions issued on December 4, 2013, restraining parties from making any reference to the armed forces in their advertisements, propaganda &  campaigning, it said “the Commission, hereby, reiterates the above instruction for strict compliance”.

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Sources in the Commission however clarified there will be no restriction on political leaders making references to the surgical strikes in their poll speeches.

“There has never been & cannot be any restraint on a political leader or candidate referring to a war or counter-terror action, while addressing poll rallies. But EC will strictly enforce its instructions restraining parties & candidates from using photos of chiefs of armed forces or defence personnel in their poll campaign material, alongside photos of political leaders, for soliciting votes,” said a senior EC functionary.

A banner showing IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinanadan Varthaman’s photo on a BJP campaign was reported recently.

Also, former chief of naval staff L Ramdas in a letter to EC sought its intervention to prevent “misuse of the armed forces” for electioneering.

In its 2013 instructions issued after the ministry of defence complained to the Commission about photographs of defence personnel being used for election campaign, EC had said that the armed forces being apolitical & neutral stakeholders, political parties & leaders must exercise great caution while making any reference to the forces in their political campaign.

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