EC tells Centre to remove Narendra Modi's picture from COVID-19 vaccine certificates in poll-bound states, say reports

-

The Election Commission has asked the Union Health Ministry to stop using Prime Minister Narendra Modi's picture on the COVID-19 vaccination certificates in the poll-bound states of West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, reports said.

The EC reportedly made the remarks in a letter to the ministry, directing it to follow the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) protocol "in letter and spirit".

On Saturday, reports said that the poll body instructed the ministry to adhere to the MCC rule that bars the use of advertisements at the cost of the public exchequer.

Clause seven of the MCC states that "issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer... regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power shall be scrupulously avoided".

PTI, however, quoted sources as saying that the Election Commission has not referred to any individual or personalities in the letter.

The sources informed the news agency said that the health ministry may have to use filters so that the picture of the prime minister is not printed on certificates given to people in the five states.

However, it may take time to put in place the filters in the system, they added.

The EC's action came on a complaint by the Trinamool Congress that Modi's picture on vaccination certificates violates the MCC.

The TMC had on Tuesday approached the poll panel about Modi's picture on vaccination certificates generated through the Co-Win platform, and alleged "blatant misuse of official machinery by the prime minister" in its complaint.

TMC, the ruling party in West Bengal, also "accused the prime minister of stealing credit from doctors, nurses and healthcare workers and appropriating their dues", NDTV reported.

"By placing his photograph, name and message on the provisional certificates issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, he is not only exploiting his post and powers but also stealing commendable credit from the producers of COVID vaccines. He is blatantly appropriating the dues of a vast army of selfless doctors, nurses and health service workers," the report quoted Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien's letter to the EC.

West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim also said, "Modi happens to be the star campaigner of the BJP in this Assembly elections. As a politician, he is seeking support for his party during rallies. In this situation, using his photo in vaccination certificates is akin to influencing voters and violates the Model Code of Conduct. We have sought the EC's intervention to remove his photo in hoardings promoting central schemes at petrol pumps."

Taking cognisance of the complaint, the EC had asked for a report from the West Bengal electoral officer and also sought a response from the health ministry on "factual position" on the use of Modi's photo.

The vaccination certificates can carry Modi's photos in other states.

The model code had come into force in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry on 26 February, the day the EC announced polls in these five states.

With inputs from PTI



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3kObtlr
FP Staff

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Both COVID-19 vaccine doses needed for good protection against B16172 variant

-
It’s been a concerning few weeks in the UK, with the B16172 variant first taking hold and then spreading to become dominant. This more infectious form of the virus, initially identified in India, is what we’re now going to have to live with – unless it is out-competed by another variant in the future. Worryingly, experts had predicted that B16172 might be able to escape some of the effects of vaccines, which if true would threaten to derail the UK’s plans to finish lifting restrictions from the end of June. However, Public Health England (PHE) has looked at the ability of various variants to evade immunity and says that the UK’s vaccines remain effective against the variants circulating, including B16172. On the surface, this looks like good news. But delve a bit deeper, and things get more complicated, says Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia. PHE’s research found a little drop-off in protection against B16172 among people who were fully vaccinated.
Read more

New coronavirus variant emerge in India: How should our COVID response change?

-
Image
After genome sequencing of over 10,000 COVID-19 cases in India, researchers have discovered a new variant with two new mutations which may be better at evading the immune system. In 15-20 percent of samples from the Indian state of Maharashtra (the state accounting for 62 percent of cases in the country) a new, double mutation in key areas of the virus has been detected. These are now known as the E484Q and L452R mutations. What makes the variant different? Both these mutations are concerning because they are located in a key portion of the virus – the spike protein – that it uses to penetrate human cells. Spike proteins attach via a “receptor binding domain”, meaning the virus can attach to receptors in our cells. These new mutations include changes to the spike protein that make it a “better fit” for human cells. This means the virus can gain entry more easily and multiply faster. Given what we have seen with other similar mutations , it might also make it harder for our immu
Read more

Aditya L1 Mission: Spacecraft is nearing its final phase, says ISRO chief

-
Aditya L1 spacecraft is nearing its final phase, and manoeuvres to enter the L1 point are expected to be completed by January 7, 2024, according to ISRO Chairman S Somanath. “Aditya is on the way. I think it has reached almost its final phase,” the ISRO chief told PTI on the sidelines of an event organised at VSSC to commemorate the 60th year of the First Sounding Rocket Launch. Aditya L1, India’s first space-based mission to study the Sun, was successfully launched on September 2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota. The spacecraft, after travelling about 1.5 million km from Earth over 125 days, is expected to be placed in a Halo orbit around the Lagrangian point L1, considered closest to the Sun. He said that the last preparations for the spacecraft’s entry into the L1 point are currently underway incrementally.”Possibly by January 7th, the final manoeuvres will be done for entering into the L1 point,” Somanath added. Among other tasks, it will capture and tr
Read more