The Election Commission on Monday barred UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP chief Mayawati from campaigning for three days and two days respectively.
The two politicians were barred for making communal remarks days before the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on 18 April.
The EC order is applicable from 6 am on Tuesday.
EC had issued a show cause notice to Adityanath for his “Ali” and “Bajrang Bali” remarks while addressing a rally in Meerut.
Adityanath had compared the Lok Sabha elections to a contest between ‘Ali’, a revered figure in Islam, and Bajrang Bali, the Hindu god Hanuman.
“Agar Congress, SP, BSP ko ‘Ali’ par vishwaas hai toh humein bhi ‘Bajrang Bali’ par vishwaas hai (If the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have faith in Ali, we have faith in Hanuman),” the UP CM had said.
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His remarks had come in response to Mayawati’s speech at a rally in Deoband, where she urged Muslims to back the SP-BSP alliance.
Mayawati said the Congress was busy dividing the votes and cautioned the gathering to guard against any such attempt.
“In western UP, where people of all communities live...in Saharanpur, Bareilly, where there is a huge Muslim population...I want to tell the Muslim community...don’t divide your votes...give it to the BSP, SP and RLD alliance,” she had said.
Mayawati was also issued a notice.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court said it would on Tuesday examine the poll panel’s contention it did not have legal powers to tackle hate speech made during election campaigns.
The EC said it had limited powers as it could send advisories and file complaints, but could not de-recognise or disqualify a candidate.
(With PTI inputs)
