A political controversy over a televised address by Narendra Modi has reached the Supreme Court of India, with a Congress MP filing a petition alleging violation of election norms. The plea questions the broadcast of the PM Modi speech on state-run platforms during an ongoing election cycle.

Who Moved Court

The petition has been filed by Congress MP T. N. Prathapan, who represents Kerala in Parliament. According to reports, Prathapan approached the apex court seeking directions against what he termed as misuse of government-controlled media for political messaging.

Allegations Raised

The petition alleges that the speech, delivered on April 18, was aired live on Doordarshan and Sansad TV both funded by the public exchequer. It claims that these platforms fall under government influence and should not be used for partisan communication during an active election period.

Prathapan has argued that such a broadcast violates the Model Code of Conduct, which restricts political campaigning using official resources.

Speech Content Disputed

The controversy centres on remarks made by the Prime Minister during the address, where several opposition parties were named and criticised. The petition states that parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK and Samajwadi Party were directly targeted.

According to the filing, the PM urged voters to hold these parties accountable over their stance on the Women’s Reservation Bill, making the speech political in nature.

Timing of Address

The speech was delivered shortly after developments linked to the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, formally known as the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill.

The petitioner has contended that the timing of the address during an active election phase raises concerns about fairness and neutrality in public communication.

Demand for Action

In his plea, Prathapan has sought a directive from the court to the Election Commission of India to examine the matter and initiate action. He has urged the court to ensure that government platforms are not used to influence voters during elections.

Officials have not yet issued a detailed response on the petition. The matter is expected to come up for preliminary hearing in the coming days.

Political Context

The issue comes amid heightened political activity across states, where adherence to the Model Code of Conduct is under scrutiny. The use of state resources for political messaging has been a recurring concern raised by opposition parties in past elections as well. Observers note that such cases often test the balance between official communication and political campaigning.

What Lies Ahead

The Supreme Court’s response to the plea will be closely watched, as it could set a precedent on how government-controlled media can be used during elections.

If the court admits the petition, it may seek responses from the Centre and the Election Commission, potentially shaping guidelines for future broadcasts.