Kejriwal gets EC notice, this time for his ‘take bribe and vote’ remark

Kejriwal had asked the voters to take money from BJP and Congress but vote for Aam Aadmi Party in elections.

arvind kejriwal, election commission, notice to kejriwal, delhi polls

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was slapped with another notice by the Election commission on Tuesday for violation of the model code of conduct — this time for allegedly asking voters to take bribes from rival parties but vote for the AAP.

Kejriwal has been asked to explain his stance by 4 pm on January 22, failing which the poll panel will take a decision without any further reference to him. The notice follows a complaint by the Congress wherein it had accused Kejriwal of “deliberately and intentionally” instigating the public “to take bribe for voting” in a public rally in Uttam Nagar on January 18.

“People from both parties will come to offer money, do not refuse, take it…if no one comes forward to give you money, go to their offices and ask them to give it to you… accept the money from both, but vote only for the broom,” Kejriwal had said at a rally.

The EC has received a report from the Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer, along with a copy of the CD, which contains footage of him making statements to this effect.

Holding that these statements amount to “abetting and promoting electoral offence of bribery” under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the Indian Penal Code, the EC has prima-facie held Kejriwal in violation of the provisions of the model code of conduct.

This is the second such notice that the EC has served on Kejriwal in the run-up to Delhi Assembly polls. On January 17, the EC had slapped a similar notice on Kejriwal for having allegedly accused the BJP of trying to incite communal violence in Delhi and also blaming it for attacks on churches in Delhi. Having earlier set a January 20 deadline for him to respond to this notice, the EC on Tuesday extended the deadline to 11 am on January 23.

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