The Election Commission on Friday sent a notice to Delhi minister Atishi over an alleged violation of the model code of conduct, days after she claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party had attempted to coerce her into defecting to it.
The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the poll panel that political parties and governments have to follow while campaigning during elections.
The poll panel said in the notice that Atishi being a minister, voters are likely to believe her public utterances and she should be able to support her claim with evidence.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader has been asked to file her response by 12 pm on Monday.
The notice to Atishi was sent on the basis of a complaint filed by the BJP.
In response, Atishi accused the Election Commission of being a “subsidiary” of the ruling party and doing its bidding.
She said the BJP had complained to the poll panel regarding her claims of coercion on April 4 and the news of the Election Commission’s notice to her was aired on television channels on the morning of April 5, at about 11:15 am.
“At 11:45 am I get a notice from the Election Commission via email,” said Atishi. “This means that BJP first plants the news of the notice in the media. Then the Election Commission sends me a notice.”
The Delhi minister also alleged that the poll panel had not taken any action on the Aam Aadmi Party’s complaints against “objectionable” posters and hoardings that had been erected by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi.
On Tuesday, Atishi had alleged that she was approached through a “close aide” to join the BJP or face arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. She claims came after the arrest of Kejriwal by the central law enforcement agency in connection with the Delhi liquor excise policy case.
She had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to crush the Aam Aadmi Party and arrest all its leaders.
“First they arrested all the senior leaders of the party,” Atishi said. “First Satyendar Jain was arrested, then Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh were taken into custody and now Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also been arrested.”
She also alleged that the Union government is now targeting another top four leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party: Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and MLA Durgesh Pathak.
A day later, the BJP’s Delhi unit sent a defamation notice to Atishi, demanding a public apology for her claims against the Hindutva party.
Also read: Why Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest is a defining moment in Indian politics?
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