EC issues show-cause notice to Arvind Kejriwal's AAP for 'disparaging' remarks against PM Modi on social media

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the national convener of the AAP, which is in power in Delhi and Punjab.

The Election Commission on November 14 issued a show-cause notice to the Aam Aadmi Party convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for alleged disparaging remarks made against the prime minister on its social media handle and asked it to respond to the charge of model code violation by November 16.

In its notice, EC said, "the posts prima facie violate MCC (Model Code of Conduct) as well as provisions of election and penal laws; asks him to explain the statement by 16th Nov, as to why appropriate action for violation of MCC as well as provisions of election and penal laws should not be taken against you."

The BJP had on November 10 approached the Election Commission and demanded action against the AAP for posting "very unacceptable" and "unethical" video clip and remarks on a social media platform targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The AAP had last had posted a video story on 'X' featuring industrialist Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Modi. The next day, the party posted a picture of Adani and Modi, and alleged that the prime minister works for the industrialist and not the people.

A BJP delegation, comprising Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, party national media in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni and party leader Om Pathak, approached the poll panel on the issue.

"From its official handle, the AAP has posted a video and two tweets (posts on X) in which it has said very unacceptable, reprehensible, mischievous and unethical things about the democratically elected head of the government," Puri told reporters after raising the issue with the EC.

"It is saying in it (these posts) that a democratically elected leader, who happens to be the prime minister, is a paid employee of some individual," the Union minister said and added this act of the AAP was a new low in politics.

In its notice to the AAP, the EC stated, "The national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party is hereby called upon to explain the statements/allegations/averments, made in the alleged social media posts under reference, against a star campaigner of another national party and against the political party and by insinuation and innuendo against the candidates for the state elections and to show cause why appropriate action for violation of model code of conduct read with relevant election and penal laws should not be taken against you."

"In the event of no response from your side within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in the matter and the Election Commission will take appropriate action or decision in the mater without making any further reference to you," the poll panel said.

Assembly polls are underway in five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram.