EC wants PM Modi's biopic release date to be posponed

Election Commission officials have met with a delegation of the CPI and the CPM and demanded that release of the film based on the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi be postponed, claiming it to be a "propaganda material".

The poll panel officials met CPI's D Raja and CPM Polit Bureau member Nilotpal Basu and also pointed out serious law and order situations in Tripura and West Bengal, on Monday.

"The delegation had a detailed discussion with the Election Commission on the release of the biopic on Narendra Modi. The delegation pointed out that there are well-established precedents on withholding the release of such propaganda materials during the pendency of the elections. The Election Commission, however, was non-committal," a statement from the two Left parties said.

"The delegation also pointed out the serious law and order situation in Tripura and West Bengal, where the ruling party goons are particularly targeting the Left Front and its candidates," the statement said.

They also raised the Kolkata airport incident involving the wife of Abhishek Banerjee, MP and Trinamool Congress candidate in Diamond Harbour and the nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

The delegation insisted that there should be an enquiry by the Commission to determine the truth as this has fiscal repercussions and a potential control on free and fair polls.

The Congress party too had moved Election Commission to get the release of the biopic, with Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi playing Modi, deferred till the final phase voting in the Lok Sabha polls ie, May 19.