By IANS,
New Delhi : The Election Commission Sunday asked authorities in Orissa to add two more sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the criminal case filed against Ashok Sahu, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency, who has been booked for an inflammatory speech.
The Election Commission, which examined a CD recording of Sahu’s speech, also issued notice to him for violating the model code of conduct and asked him to reply by 3 p.m. April 15.
“The Election Commission today directed the Kandhamal district magistrate that in the criminal case filed by him against Ashok Sahu for adding two more sections 505 and 295 of IPC along with existing 125 of RPA and 153 IPC,” the commission said in a statement here.
“This decision was taken after examination of the CD today,” it said.
While section 505 of the IPC deals with the “statements conducing to public mischief”, section 295 deals with “injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class”.
At a public meeting at Raikia town April 5, Sahu had accused the church of indulging in conversion.
Kandhamal district superintendent of police S. Praveen Kumar said Saturday that a case was registered against Sahu and the matter was under investigation.
Kandhamal district, about 200 km from Bhubaneswar, witnessed widespread communal violence after the murder of a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader in August 2008.
At least 38 people were killed and more than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes in the violence that followed. At least 3,000 people are still living in government relief camps.