EC issues notice to Atishi for claiming BJP approached her to join party
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New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday issued a notice to Delhi minister Atishi following a complaint by the BJP over her statement that the saffron party approached her to join it.
The Election Commission asked the Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) leader to reply with ‘ para wise reponse’ to the notice by noon April 8, The Indian Express reported.
The notice has been issued after the BJP on Thursday accused Atishi of making “misleading and unverified statements” at a press conference.
Atishi on Monday claimed that the BJP approached her through a close associate to join the party in order to ‘ save my political career’.
The notice pointed out provision in Model Code of Conduct (MCC) against unverified allegations and its advisory to parties to not to make false statements during the campaign.
The notice to Atishi reportedly said “…you are a minister in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and leader of a national party. The electors tend to believe whatever is being said from public forum by their leaders and in that sense the statements made by them affect the campaign discourse…”
It further added that “..it is expected that there must be a factual foundation to the above quoted statements made by you and when the veracity of the statements made by you is contested then you must be able to back your statements by a factual basis and whereas the matter is being examined by the Commission in light of the provisions of Model Code of Conduct and relevant electoral laws.”
