NEW DELHI:  The Election Commission has defended using the image of armed forces in a tweet viewed by some as a violation of its own rules urging eligible people to vote in the final phases of the Bengal polls. 

In a tweet, the poll panel said the Model Code of Conduct which cautions against involving the armed forces in election campaigns was applicable only to political parties, and did not apply in its (EC’s) case. 

The Commission said its tweet was only meant to educate people about the importance of voting. 

In the run up to fourth phase of polls in West Bengal on Saturday the poll panel had issued an advertisement urging people to vote fearlessly.

The advertisement also showed an image of iconic cartoonist RK Laxman’s ‘Common Man’ paying homage to a memorial of soldiers.

The advertisement read: “They sacrifice for their country. Can’t you even for the country?”

The advertisement had invited criticism from some corners, saying the poll body was dragging armed forces into the poll exercise unnecessarily. 

The poll body is of the view that the armed forces are neutral stakeholders in a modern democracy and it has asked political parties to desist from using photographs of defence personnel on hoardings.