EC gives clean chit to PM Modi's speech on Mission Shakti

The Election Commission has given Prime Minister Narendra Modi a clean chit in its preliminary report over his address to the nation on Mission Shakti, sources have said.

Sources in the Election Commission said they haven't found anything wrong with the Prime Minister's speech after India successfully tested anti-satellite missile.

A panel was set up by the election committee to examine the speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Opposition alleged that the speech broke the model code of conduct -- in force for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Election Commission had said it would examine Narendra Modi's address to the nation on Mission Shakti after it was alleged that the PM violating the model code of conduct.

"The matter related to the address of the prime minister to the nation on electronic media today afternoon (March 27) has been brought to the notice of the Election Commission of India. The Commission has directed a committee of officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of model



code of conduct."

The action had come in response to a written complaint submitted by the CPI(M) over PM Narendra Modi's address to the nation on Mission Shakti.

"This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the PM himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct," the letter had stated.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has instructed EC officials to carefully analyse PM Modi's address's transcript and that another review will likely be taken on Thursday.

In his address, PM Modi said, "It is a matter of pride for all of us in India that Mission was accomplished using an indigenously developed ASAT missile."

"Outer space has today become a critical part of our day to day lives. It is no longer as far as it appears. A large number of Indian satellites are today orbiting around the earth helping our farmers, our fishermen, our students, our armed forces and our workers in different ways," PM Modi had said.