ECI asks govt to remove Modi’s photo from COVID vaccine certificates

GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Centre to issue COVID-19 vaccination certificates to the vaccine beneficiaries without photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the four assembly election-bound states and a Union Territory.

The ECI has also asked the government to remove Modi’s name from the vaccine certificates in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

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The order came after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Kerala’s Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Midhun Shah lodged separate complaints with the ECI accusing the BJP of misusing the official machinery. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress moved the ECI alleging violation of model code of conduct by the ruling party on Tuesday.

 Shah had stated that photo of Modi and excerpts of his speech might influence the elections. “I request you (ECI) to take the necessary steps to remove it,” Shah stated.