India yesterday banned the release of a biopic about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the country’s marathon elections after complaints that the flattering portrayal would give the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party an unfair advantage.
Modi is seeking a second term, defending a landslide win over the opposition Congress Party in 2014.
The result is predicted to be close however.
In a win for the opposition, the Election Commission barred the cinematic release of the film PM Narendra Modi until voting concludes on May 19.
The commission also ordered a ban on NaMo TV, a recently launched television channel that broadcasts Modi’s rallies live, as well as promotional material for the ruling party. 
Under election rules, known as the Model Code of Conduct, the publication of any content deemed as campaign material – including advertisements, films and even social media – requires the Election Commission’s prior approval.
The commission – which organises the world’s biggest democratic poll with 900mn eligible voters choosing 543 MPs – said the film “has the potential to disturb the level playing field during the elections”.
Congress insisted it was propaganda and resisted the timing of its release, even taking its fight to the country’s Supreme Court.
The movie tells the story of Modi’s ascent to power from his days selling tea at a train station.
The film had been granted a censors’ certificate and was planned to release today as the first wave of voters went to the ballot box.
“Any biopic in the nature of biography or hagiography sub-serving the purposes of any political entity or any individual entity connected to it or which has the potential to disturb the level playing field during the elections should not be displayed in electronic media, including cinematograph during the operation of MCC (model code of conduct),” the Commission said in its order.
It also said that any poster or publicity material concerning any such certified content which either depicts a candidate for furtherance of electoral prospect directly or indirectly shall not be put to display in the electronic media in the area where MCC is in force.
The order issued by the poll panel added that in case of a violation, a committee constituted by the Commission would examine and suggest appropriate action.
The committee would be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge or a retired chief justice of a high court.
The poll panel said it had received complaints about certain films, namely NTR Laxmi, PM Narendra Modi and Udyama Simham, which “claimed to either diminish or advance the electoral prospect of a candidate or a political party in the garb of creative freedom”.
Though the display materials claimed “to be part of creative content, it has been contended that these have propensity and potentiality to affect the level playing field” which is “not in consonance with the provisions of model code of conduct”, it said.
The Commission added there is an emergent need for intervention in such political content “intended (or purported to be) for benefiting or discrediting the electoral prospects” of any candidate or political party, for ensuring a level playing field.
In the past the Election Commission has ordered that elephant statues be covered up during campaigns involving the Bahujan Samaj Party whose icon is the pachyderm, and that cooling fans in a voting station be removed so as not to favour a candidate who had adopted the fan as his official symbol.
Had it been released the film would have been screened throughout the election campaign and its poster – depicting Modi surrounded by children under the tagline “patriotism is my strength” – could have been freely displayed.