NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India against the BJP, accusing it of spreading misinformation and violating the Model Code of Conduct.
The complaint alleges that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shared a false video on social media, depicting pothole-ridden roads as being located in Delhi when they were actually from Faridabad, Haryana.
"The party (BJP) has been spreading misinformation through a false video on their social media channels, showcasing roads in Delhi in a deplorable condition.
However, it has been exposed that the road featured in the video is actually located in Faridabad, Haryana," said the AAP's complaint letter.
The letter attaches screenshots of tweets posted from the BJP's Delhi handle, where the purported videos were shared.
It also includes links to videos debunking the claim, showing the actual location of the road.
The AAP contended that such acts amount to a "blatant violation" of the Model Code of Conduct, which prohibits the dissemination of false propaganda.
The party has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take strict action, including the immediate removal of the video from the BJP's social media accounts, legal prosecution under Section 123(4) of the Representation of People Act, 1951, Section 340 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, and measures to prevent the dissemination of such misinformation in future.
"These acts destroy the sanctity of the election process, and parties committing such offences should be held accountable. An example should be set for the public to maintain the integrity of the electoral process," the letter states.
No immediate response was available from the BJP on the AAP's allegations.