New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday banned senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala from poll campaigning for his alleged undignified remarks against actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Hema Malini.

Surjewala shared another clipping from the same video in which he is heard saying that he “respects” Hema Malini

As per the EC order, Surjewala cannot hold election rallies or public meeting for the next 48 hours starting from 6 pm today.

“The commission without prejudice to any order/notice issued or to be issued subsequently to him in the matter relating to MCC violations, hereby, strongly condemns the impugned statement made by him during the election campaign held in Haryana and reprimands Randeep Surjewala for the misconduct,” the poll panel said in its notice.

“The Commission, under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and all other powers enabling in this behalf, bars him (Randeep Surjewala) from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, roadshows and interviews, public utterances in media in connection with the ongoing elections for 48 hours from 6:00 pm on April 16 (Tuesday),” it added.

With this, Randeep Surjewala became the first politician who was banned by the poll panel in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

A political controversy erupted after an undated video was shared by the BJP on social media in which Surjewala was heard making some objectionable remarks about Hema Malini.

Several BJP leaders, including UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Shehzad Poonawalla, hit out at Surjewala, saying women would teach them a strong lesson in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Surjewala was also issued a show-cause notice by poll panel for his alleged “undignified, uncivilised and vulgar” remarks against Malini.

However, the Congress leader refuted the allegation and said that the video shared by the BJP was edited and distorted, adding that he never intended to insult or hurt Hema Malini.

Clarifying his stand, Surjewala shared another clipping from the same video in which he is heard saying that he “respects” Hema Malini because she is “married to Dharmendra ji, she is our bahu”.

“My intention was not to insult Hema Malini ji or to hurt anybody. That’s why I clearly said we respect Hema Malini ji. The BJP is anti-women, so it sees everything from its misogyny-tinted glasses and conveniently spreads lies,” Surjewala said in a post on X.