The Election Commission has again banned BJP MP Parvesh Singh Sahib from campaigning for elections to the Delhi Assembly for 24 hours beginning 6 pm on Thursday.
The Commission has also ‘warned’ Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister to be more “careful and exercise caution” while making public utterances.
This is the second time during the ongoing campaign that the BJP MP has been banned by the Commission. On January 30 it had barred the BJP MP from holding public meetings and speaking to the media for 96 hours.
The latest ban on Parvesh Singh Sahib comes after the Commission issued a show cause notice to him on January 30 for making a statement to a private television channel.
The Commission was of the view that the BJP MP made ‘vitriolic aspersions’ against the Delhi Chief Minister which violated the model code of conduct which states that “criticism of other political parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortions shall be avoided.”
Repeat violation
Terming the present offence of the BJP MP as a “repeat violation” of the model code of conduct the Commission barred him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews and public utterances in the media (electronic, print, social media) in connection with the Delhi elections for 24 hours starting from 6 pm on Wednesday.
The warning to the Delhi Chief Minister comes as the Commission found him in violation of the MCC as Kejriwal made a statement in his official capacity while addressing advocates on January 13.
Addressing a gathering of advocates at the Tiz Hazari court premises the Delhi Chief Minister had said that his party was ready to open Mohalla Clinics in every court if space was made available.
Delhi goes to the polls on February 8 with the votes scheduled to be counted on February 11.