PM Modi's Image Removed from Covid Vaccination Certificates

The image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been removed from the Covid-19 vaccination certificates issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Previously, the CoWIN certificates featured images of PM Modi along with the caption, "Together, India will defeat COVID-19." Now, the certificates retain the quote with an attribution to the Prime Minister.

This change was pointed out by a social media user, Sandeep Manudhane, on X, formerly known as Twitter. He shared an image of the Covid-19 vaccine certificate and wrote, "Modi ji no more visible on Covid Vaccine certificates. Just downloaded to check - yes, his pic is gone."

Sandeep attributed the removal of PM Modi's image to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed to The Print that the image was removed in accordance with the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), as the MCC is in effect during the ongoing seven-phase Lok Sabha 2024 elections.

Notably, this is not the first instance of Modi's photo being removed from Covid-19 vaccine certificates. In 2022, The Print reported that, following the ECI's directions, the Prime Minister's picture was removed in states going to polls, including Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.

Several users on X speculated that the recent admission regarding Covishield—a product manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under license from AstraZeneca—was the reason behind the change in the vaccination certificate. However, it was clarified that the change was due to the Model Code of Conduct.

Netizens React

Another social media user, Santosh Iyer, also confirmed the change, “Yes, you are correct. I checked and find that Modi's photo is no longer visible on the covid vaccination certificates! Ha!Ha!Ha!"

One person commented, “It is because MCC. If he comes back to power again you will find his photo [sic]." Another user reacted, “Sir, expect you to not mislead people. This has nothing to do with what you are hinting at. It is due to model code of conduct and ECI guidelines. In all poll-bound states the photo was removed even…"

A fifth user added, “It was removed earlier also if you gave ID as passport for international travel. That was done after many country immigration confused the picture with the picture of visitor and refused to let him in."