NEW DELHI: Election commission on Saturday ‘censured’ Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for his bribery remarks in a Goa rally recently. The poll panel also warned the AAP convener of stern action in case of similar violation of model code of conducts.
“The Election Commission hereby, Censures you for violating the aforesaid provisions of model code of conduct (MCC )and expects that you shall be more circumspect in your public utterances during election time,” said the poll panel on Saturday.
The EC warned of stern action saying, “You may also note that in case of similar violation of MCC in future, the Commission shall take stern action against you and your party, using all powers available to it.”
In strong remarks, the EC said, “The Commission is anguished to note that you, Chief Minister of Delhi and a star campaigner of your party and thus expected to conduct in an exemplary manner in election campaigns in a law abiding way for others to emulate, have again violated MCC breaking your assurance to ECI given during Legislative Assembly election of Delhi 2015.”
Responding to the Election Commission action, Kejriwal said that he would challenged the poll panel's order in the court.
"The Election Commission order against me is completely wrong. Lower court gave order in my favor. The Election Commission ignored court's order. I will challenge the Election Commission's latest order in court," Kejriwal said.
The poll panel said it has carefully studied Kejriwal’s response to its notice and that it found “not at all convincing since in the impugned statements you have called upon the electors not only to refuse to accept this time Rs 5000/- but ask for Rs. 100001- when BJP workers come to distribute money in election time, citing price hike and to take new currency notes”.
The election commission had issued a notice to Kejriwal on January 6 for violating the model code of conduct by “making certain statements to the effect of promoting or abetment of the offence of bribery to the electors in a public meeting held at Mapusa , Bardez taluka, Goa”.
The EC said that it had issued similar warning to Kejriwal during Delhi assembly polls in January 2015 and reminded him saying, “You had made unqualified promise to the Commission that you will not make any appeal to voters or make statement of the nature stated above during the period when MCC is in force”.