Malvika Sood gets notice for distributing free notebooks with her, Cong leaders’ photos

The slogan on the cover page of the notebook with her photograph, reads, 'Aa rahi hai Mogey di dhee.. Malvika Sood.' (Moga's daughter is arriving).

Malvika said that her team has stopped distributing notebooks after receiving the notice. (Express Photo)

The Moga election returning officer has issued a notice to Congress candidate Malvika Sood Sachar, sister of actor Sonu Sood, for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by distributing freebies to lure the voters in run-up to the elections scheduled for February 20.

Malvika has been issued the notice after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) complained that she and Congress workers were trying to lure voters by distributing free notebooks during campaigning. As per the samples of the notebooks that have been submitted by SAD to the election office, the notebooks have a picture of Malvika Sood along with senior Congress leaders PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu, CM Charanjit Singh Channi and poll campaign committee chairman Sunil Jakhar on them. The notebooks also have the Congress party symbol printed on them. The slogan on the cover page of the notebook with her photograph, reads, ‘Aa rahi hai Mogey di dhee.. Malvika Sood.’ (Moga’s daughter is arriving).

Malvika has been issued the notice after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) complained that she and Congress workers were trying to lure voters by distributing free notebooks during campaigning. (File)

On the back cover of the notebooks, there are 12 pre-poll promises which she is purportedly making to the voters of Moga, including solving issues such as water supply, sewage, drugs, renovation of stadium, a regular train from Moga to Delhi, industrial development, drainage system in villages based on Seechewal Model among others.

In his complaint to the returning officer, SAD candidate Barjinder Singh Makhan Brar wrote, ‘…Congress candidate Malvika Sood is brazenly violating model code of conduct during her campaigning. She is trying to lure voters and trying to buy the votes by distributing freebies.”

Returning officer Satwant Singh said that after receiving the complaint, they have issued a notice to Malvika for the violation.

Meanwhile, Malvika said that her team has stopped distributing notebooks after receiving the notice. “We did not know that there was a procedure and now we have sought permission to distribute notebooks. Until we don’t get the permission, we will not distribute them. Akali Dal is openly indulging in hooliganism and even threatening voters.”

Divya Goyal

Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Ludhiana (Punjab). She is widely recognized for her human-interest storytelling and in-depth investigative reporting on social and political issues in the region. Professional Profile Experience: With over 13 years in journalism, she joined The Indian Express in 2012. She previously worked with Hindustan Times. Education: A gold medalist in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Core Beats: She covers a diverse range of subjects, including gender issues, education, the Sikh diaspora, heritage, and the legacy of the Partition. She has also reported on minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Awards and Recognition Divya has earned significant acclaim for her sensitivity toward gender and social disparities: Laadli Media Award (2020): For her investigative report "Punjab: The Invisible Drug Addicts," which exposed the gender disparity in treating women addicts. Laadli Media Award (2023): For a ground report on the struggles of two girls who had to ride a boat to reach their school in a border village of Punjab. Signature Style Divya is known for "humanizing the news." Rather than just reporting on policy, she often focuses on the individuals affected by it—such as students dealing with exam stress, farmers struggling with diversification, or families impacted by crime. Her work often bridges the gap between West (Pakistan) and East (India) Punjab, exploring shared heritage and common struggles. X (Twitter): @DivyaGoyal_ ... Read More