NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Saturday censured BJP leader and Telangana MLA T Raja Singh for threatening people to vote for his party in Uttar Pradesh and barred him from campaigning for 72 hours.
It also directed the chief electoral officer, Telangana, to register an FIR against Singh under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act.
The 72-hour ban began from 6 pm on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the poll panel had cited a video clip of Singh's purported remarks while issuing him the notice.
Going by the transcript of Singh's remarks quoted in the notice, he had said that those who do not vote for the BJP should know that "Yogi Ji" (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) has called for thousands of JCBs and bulldozers.
"You do know the purpose JCBs and bulldozer. If you have to live in UP, you will have to chant Yogi-Yogi or leave Uttar Pradesh," he had broadly said in Hindi.
Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases, and on Sunday, the third will be conducted.
Results will be declared on March 10.