On Tuesday, the Election Commission banned Samajwadi Party’s Rampur candidate Azam Khan from campaigning for 48 hours for his provocative remarks about poll authorities in Uttar Pradesh and for attempting to secure votes along religious lines, PTI reported.

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In his speech on April 25, Khan had allegedly referred to Kargil war and raised religious slogans. Khan had allegedly said, "During Kargil war, Indian soldiers comprising both Hindus and Muslims defeated Pakistanis. The Indian soldiers shouted 'Naara-e-Takbeer Allahu Akbar' slogan to fool the Pakistanis, who mistook them for their own soldiers and came out of their cover. After this Indian soldiers easily defeated them."

This is the second time the poll panel has banned Khan this month. The fresh ban has come into force at 6.00 AM Wednesday. Earlier he was barred from campaigning for 72 hours for his 'khaki underwear' jibe at BJP candidate Jaya Prada. The Election Commission’s order did not specify where the Samajwadi Party leader had made speeches against the district poll machinery. The poll panel observed that Khan had also appealed for votes along religious lines, thereby violating the Model Code of Conduct.

So far Khan has been mentioned in 12 cases of alleged violations in Uttar Pradesh.

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