The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday for his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Madhya Pradesh, PTI reported.

On April 23, Gandhi had claimed that the government led by Modi had enacted a new law that allows officers to shoot Adivasis, News18 reported. “The law says that tribals can be attacked,” the notice quoted Gandhi as saying. “They take away your lands, take away your forests, they take away your water, and then they say tribals can be shot at.”

The Election Commission cited a provision in the Model Code of Conduct which bars party leaders from levelling “unverified allegations” against political opponents. The poll body has given Gandhi 48 hours to respond to the notice, failing which it will take action without further reference to him, according to PTI.

Two Bharatiya Janata Party workers had approached the poll body with the complaint, following which a report was sought from poll authorities in Madhya Pradesh.

On Wednesday, the Election Commission had cleared Modi of poll code violation on Wednesday for his appeal to first-time voters to dedicate their votes to security personnel killed in the Pulwama attack during a rally in Latur, Maharashtra.