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New Delhi: Acting on a one-month-old notice it sent to the BJP on complaints over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s provocative and communal remarks, the Election Commission of India on Wednesday directed the saffron party’s star campaigners not to make speeches along 'religious/communal lines' and desist from statements that may 'divide the society'.

Separately, it also asked the Congress' star campaigners not to give 'false impression' of abolishing or selling the Constitution, make speeches that create 'mutual hatred or cause tension' between religious or linguistic communities or 'potentially divisive statements' regarding the socio-economic composition of the armed forces.

The EC’s letters to BJP president JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge conveying its directions came 27 days after it issued separate notices to them on complaints against Modi, Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Though the complaints were annexed in the notice that were sent to party chiefs and not the alleged violators, the names of violators were not mentioned.

It also comes ten days before the seven-phased elections are ending on June 1 though the notices were issued a day before the second phase of polls on April 25. While Nadda had responded to the letter on May 13 after seeking two extensions, Kharge submitted his arguments on May 6 after seeking one extension. They were initially given time till April 29.

In its letter to Nadda, the EC said he has not denied the utterances mentioned in the Congress complaint though it 'stoutly defended' the campaign methods and remarks while invoking a 'unilateral drawing of inferences and interpretations' of star campaigners of opponents. It said its star campaigners continued with objectionable utterances even after the April 25 notice.

The latest communication came against the backdrop of complaints by Congress and other parties which referred to Modi’s speech in Banswara as “communal” where he spoke about Congress seeking to redistribute people’s wealth to “infiltrators”, in a veiled reference to Muslims, and that women’s ‘mangalsutras’ will be snatched.

Emphasising that Nadda’s defence was 'not tenable', the EC said, 'directs you as party president to also convey to all star campaigners to not make speeches and statements, which may divide the society. Directs BJP and its star campaigners to refrain from any campaigning methods/utterances along religious/communal lines'.

In its letter to Kharge, the EC said Kharge too has justified Congress star campaigners’ contentious remarks while claiming that the complaint had 'wilfully extracted only specific portions, devoid of context, to mislead the Commission'. Kharge also claimed that the BJP leaders were making 'motivated statements' invoking religious sentiments to attract voters.

The EC, which had taken cognisance of complaints against Kharge and Rahul, said the assertion of Congress’ star campaigners about the BJP attempting to change the Constitution was allegedly instilling fear in the minds of voters about an uncertain future and an attempt to spread anarchy in the country and could be considered as “corrupt practice” under election laws.

While insisting that it cannot accept the Congress arguments and find it untenable, the EC directed Kharge to convey to all star campaigners that they do not make statements which give a 'false impression such as the Constitution of India may be abolished or sold'.

Amid the Congress making a campaign point on the controversial Agniveer scheme, it also directed him to convey to star campaigners that they should not indulge in political propaganda involving the military and not make 'potentially divisive statements' regarding socio-economic composition of defence forces.

Both the party presidents to ensure that star campaigners refrain from making any statement that may “aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic”.

The EC also referred to controversial statements after the April 25 notice by star campaigners from both sides in its letters, referring to complaints and counter complaints.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday that INDIA bloc will win 295+ seats in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the results of which will be announced on June 4. Kharge's estimate came about an hour before the exit polls results for general elections are expected to be released. 

“INDIA bloc will win at least 295 seats. This is not based on our survey. This is what people have told us," Kharge said after the meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at his residence on Saturday. 

Kharge also said that leaders of INDIA bloc have sought time from Election Commission of India on Sunday to discuss steps to be taken during counting of votes. 

The meeting, held as the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is about to end, discussed the future course of action after the results of the Lok Sabha Elections are announced on June 4.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav SP, his party colleague, Ram Gopal Yadav, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Jharkhand Chief Minister, Champai Soren, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Sitaram Yechury of CPIM and Dipankar Bhattacharya of CPI(ML). These other than Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also present in the meeting.

Top opposition leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti are not attending the meeting. The DMK is represented by its TR Baalu in the meeting.

The meeting is underway amid voting taking place to decide the fate of 904 candidates, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, across 57 seats in seven states and one Union Territory in the last and final phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Soon after the polling of last phase is over, the results of Exit Polls for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be released. In a U turn, the Congress said that leaders of INDIA bloc parties will now take part in exit poll debates this evening. The, a day after Congress said on that its leaders will not participate in debates related to Lok Sabha elections exit polls on June 4.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – an amalgamation of about 28 opposition parties – was formed with its first meeting in June 2023 to put up a collective fight against BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The BJP-led NDA, seeking a record third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has set a target of winning 400 seats this election.

Gautam Adani, chairman of multinational conglomerate the Adani Group, has reclaimed the title of the richest person in Asia with a net worth of $111 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This came after the group's shares rallied up to 14 per cent on Friday.

With this, Adani has overtaken Reliance Industries’ Mukesh Ambani after nearly 5 months. Ambani stands at 12th rank with a net worth of $109 billion. He had overtaken Adani in net worth after his conglomerate's shares crashed following the Hindenburg report last January.

So far in 2024, Adani’s net worth has jumped $26.8 billion while Ambani's wealth has increased by $12.7 billion.

Last week, Adani also expressed his optimism about the future of the group saying that its best days are ahead.

“The road ahead is paved with extraordinary possibilities, and I can promise you that the Adani Group today is stronger than it has ever been," he said.

2023 had been quite challenging for the Adani Group after the Supreme Court ordered a panel to probe the allegations in the Hindenburg report. Adani, who was the third richest person in the world before the report, slipped in the rankings rapidly after the group's shares saw a sell-off.

However, later the Supreme Court ordered the Securities and Exchanges Board of India (Sebi) to conclude its investigation into the Adani Group and said no more probes were needed. Sebi had said that it could not reach an outcome in its probe.

The shares of the Adani Group have rallied after the judgement. In January, Adani had overtaken Ambani after nearly 12 months but later the lead was taken again by Ambani. Now Adani has overtaken Ambani again.

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index showed that currently, Bernard Arnault is currently the richest person in the world with a net worth of $207 billion. He is followed by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos with total wealth of $203 billion and $199 billion respectively.