MASSIVE: EC punishes Mayawati and Yogi Adityanath over communal remarks, issues 48-hour and 72-hour prohibition on their respective election campaigns

Hours after Supreme court expressed displeasure over the Election Commission for not taking strict action against BSP supremo Mayawati and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath over their communal remarks in election rally, the poll body on Monday has issued a notice to Mayawati imposing 48-hour prohibition and Yogi Adityanath imposing 72-hours ban on their election campaigns starting 6 am on Tuesday, as a part of their punishment.

"The Commission is convinced that she had made highly provocative speech which has the tone and tenor to aggravate existing difference or create mutual hatred between religious communities, thus violative of Model Code of Conduct. It strongly condemns the impugned statements made by her during her election campaign in Deoband. The Commission under Article 324 of the Constitution bars her from holding any public meetings, public processions, rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media in connection with ongoing elections for 48 hours from 6:00 am on April 16," the EC letter reads. 

Read the EC notice to Mayawati here:

On April 7, Mayawati on Sunday gave a polarising speech where she appealed to Muslim voters to vote for the BSP-SP coalition (with RLD in tow) and not Congress saying that the party led by Gandhis cannot fight the BJP, while addressing a rally in Deoband in Saharanpur.

"I want to tell the Muslim community to not let their votes divide. I ask you to vote together for BSP, SP and RLD.

READ: Supreme Court Takes Note Of Alleged Hate Speeches Made By Mayawati, Yogi Adityanath

Further, taking notice of the comments made by Yodi Adityanath in Meerut, the Commission barred him from holding any public meetings, public processions, rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media in connection with ongoing elections for 72 hours from 6:00 am on April 16. 

Read the EC notice to Yogi Adityanath here:

While delivering a poll speech in Meerut which goes to polls on April 11, UP CM Yogi accused the Congress and Gathbandhan of targeting the Muslim community as a vote-bank. He then used a controversial remark he has made once before:

"If they believe in Ali, we also believe in Bajrangbali"

All the scheduled campaign by UP CM shave been cancelled following the punitive order by the Election Commission. CM Yogi was scheduled to campaign in Bijnor and Agra, UP on April 16, in Karnataka on April 17 and in bulandshahr and Hathras in UP on April 18. 

READ: Election Commission Tells Supreme Court Its Powers Are "limited", Over 'inaction Against Political Parties Violating Model Code Of Conduct'