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Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi has received a notice from India’s Election Commission for his inflamatory campaign speech on December 4 in Mangrol that justified the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in an Indian-style encounter with the police.

The Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case is now before India’s Supreme Court.

In a notice to Modi asking him to submit his reply by Saturday, the Election Commission of India said:

The Commission has considered the various inputs and the complaint, and has viewed the video recording of the said speech referred to above. The Commission, prima facie, is of the view that the references to Late Shri Sohrabuddin and linking his name to terrorism, made in the speech, amounts to indulging in activity which may aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred and causing tension between different communities, and would involve violation of the provision of clause (1) and (3) of Item I of the Model Code of Conduct.

Citing the the Model Code of Conduct, the Election Commission said in its notice to Modi:

No party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.

There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, Churches, Temples or other places of worship shall not be used as forum for election propaganda.

The Election Commission said that a complaint had also been filed by Teesta Setalvad alleging that Modi’s speech amounted to an open exhortation of violence and misuse of religion for political ends and a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.