New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to respond to complaints filed by opposition parties wherein they have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of delivering a divisive and defamatory speech in Rajasthan's Banswara.

This is the first time that the poll body has taken cognisance of a model code violation allegation against a Prime Minister. At the same time, the poll panel also asked Congress to respond to complaints filed by the BJP against the main opposition party's chief Mallikarjun Kharge and its senior leader Rahul Gandhi regarding their respective remarks.

In its letter addressed to BJP President J P Nadda, the ECI asked him to respond by Monday to complaints filed by the Congress, CPI and CPI (ML) regarding the remarks made by PM Modi on April 21 in Banswara.

It also asked Nadda to bring to the notice of all star campaigners of the party to "set high standards of political discourse and observe provisions of model code of conduct in letter and spirit".

"Whereas, in light of the above, the Commission considers the political party as the fundamental stakeholder, in terms of regulation, consultation and facilitation within and about the election process; and whereas over the years through various instructions/orders and advisories, the Commission has sought to make political parties more accountable, transparent and democratic in their functioning; and whereas the Commission is of the considered view that political parties will have to take primary and increasing responsibility for the conduct of their candidates in general and star campaigners in particular.

"Whereas, yours is a National Party and is therefore expected to be the standard bearer in political and campaign discourse and as such should also set high standards of compliance of the model code of conduct.

"Whereas, the Commission is in receipt of representations from various political parties/ civil society organizations and individual entities alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct by speeches made during campaigning by some of your star campaigners. Whereas, these speeches are alleged to be in violation of MCC.

"Whereas, in view of the foregoing and the plenary power of the political parties to nominate or withdraw the star campaigner's status with associated responsibility and authority to control their star campaigners, the Commission has taken a view that while the individual star campaigner would continue to remain responsible for speeches made, the Commission will address party President/Head of the political party, on case-to-case basis," the EC wrote in a letter to Nadda.

Officials said it is the first time that the Commission has taken cognisance of a complaint against any Prime Minister. The Election Commission has invoked provisions of the Representation of the People Act to hold party presidents as the first step to rein in star campaigners. It wrote a similarly-worded letter separately to the Congress president with regard to allegations levelled by the BJP against him and Gandhi.

The letters from the EC to the two-party presidents did not directly name either Modi, Gandhi or Kharge, but the representations received by it were attached to the respective letters and they contained details of allegations against the three leaders.

In its complaint to the EC, the Congress said that Modi in his speech had alleged that Congress wanted to redistribute the wealth of the people to Muslims and that the opposition party won't even spare the 'mangalsutra' of women.

The BJP, on the other hand, had written to EC that Gandhi levelled malafide and utterly sinister allegations against Modi during a speech in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It also accused Kharge of violating the model code by claiming that he was not invited to the Ram temple consecration ceremony due to discrimination against SCs and STs.