HC quashes ‘Modi selfie’ case

He is accused of violating model code on polling day in Ahmedabad.

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating the election code by clicking his selfie in a polling booth during the parliamentary elections in April. It upheld the magisterial court order, which had rejected the petition filed by an AAP worker Nishant Verma.

“I am not impressed with the submission that the magistrate did not follow proper procedure in the matter,” Justice J.B. Pardiwala said.

Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, was accused of violating the election code when he addressed a press conference inside the polling booth in Ahmedabad where he had exercised his franchise on April 30. Mr. Modi had then also clicked a selfie, as he displayed the BJP’s election symbol lotus, on his mobile.

The Election Commission ordered the Gujarat police to initiate action against Mr. Modi. Subsequently, two FIRs were filed against him.

However, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch told the magisterial court that there was no violation as Mr. Modi held the press conference outside the polling booth.

Corrections & Clarifications:

The article has been edited for a factual error.