The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Haryana unit after its Assembly polls campaign video featured a child, PTI reported.
The video, posted on social media platform X, featured BJP leader and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini talking to children at public events, according to The Hindu. The video began with a child saying, “Abki baar Saini sarkar [this time Saini government]”.
The post is no longer accessible on the platform.
The video violated guidelines that prohibit the involvement of children in election-related activities and campaigning, the poll panel said in its notice.
The Haryana chief electoral officer directed BJP state chief Mohan Lal Badoli to take immediate corrective action and respond to the notice by 6 pm on Thursday.
Haryana will head for polling on October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4, alongside that of Jammu and Kashmir.
In February, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission had told political parties and candidates to strictly comply with the 2016 Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Amendment Act.
There will be “zero tolerance towards the use of children in any manner during the electoral process” by parties and candidates, the poll panel had said.
“Political parties are explicitly directed not to engage children in any form of election campaign, including rallies, slogan shouting, distribution of posters or pamphlets, or any other election-related activity,” the commission had said.
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