The Election Commission on Wednesday said an FIR should be filed against YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy for his remarks against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu earlier in August. While campaigning for the Nandyal bye-election on August 3, Reddy had said that Naidu should be “shot dead”.

The poll panel’s warning comes hours after voting began in the Nandyal constituency, where the YSR Congress is competing against Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party. A bye-poll was necessitated in the YSR Congress stronghold after MLA Bhuma Nagireddy died in March.

The Election Commission told the Andhra chief electoral officer that it had made note of the “inflammatory tone and tenor” of Reddy’s statements. “Using such abusive and provocative language, which has the effect of inciting silence during election speech, amounts to violation of the Model Code of Conduct,” the polling monitor said, adding that a severe warning should be issued to Reddy as his case was fit for a reprimand.

The TDP had filed a case against Reddy and had submitted video proof of his comments. On August 5, the Andhra Pradesh Election Commission had issued a notice to the YSR Congress chief and sought an explanation from him.

“A warning is being issued to him today,” Bhanwar Lal, the chief electoral officer for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, told The Indian Express. “The police have already filed an FIR against him, which they will pursue.”

On August 3, Jaganmohan Reddy had targeted the chief minister while addressing a crowd in Nandyal. He had accused Naidu of making false poll promises. “This is an election where people all fight against Naidu,” Reddy had said. “A person like Chandrababu Naidu should be shot in public for his double speak and unending deeds of corruption.”