‘Violation of Model Code of Conduct’: EC Notice to Delhi BJP Chief for Social Media Post on Kejriwal

The Election Commission (EC) has issued a show-cause notice to the chief of BJP’s Delhi unit over social media posts against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) star campaigner and party head Arvind Kejriwal earlier this month.

BJP’s Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva has been asked to respond to the notice by 8 pm on Thursday.

Last week, AAP had filed a complaint with the EC saying the Delhi unit of BJP had posted a video on Facebook and X earlier this month that contained morphed images and videos of Kejriwal. The party said the posts were uploaded with an intention to ruin the “clean and undisputed image” of Kejriwal.

In its notice, the EC said the posts are violating the model code of conduct.

“The commission is prima facie of the view that the tweet and the post mentioned in aforesaid complaint violate the provisions of the model code of conduct read with relevant election and penal laws,” the EC said.

The notice said the upload and tweet comprise imagery including animation, caricature and drawings and modified content. It further said the party and the Delhi unit president ought to have verified the facts and have proof in its possession to justify the “ex facie derogatory, insulting and disparaging animation, caricature, scan and narrative against the star campaigner of another national party” who is a democratically elected CM.

“…the public tends to believe that statements of facts published by a national party to be true and consequently such belief is bound to affect the outcome of the elections and hence its Delhi unit President and candidates would therefore be required to possess irrefutable proof of the statements made by using the Party’s own official handle…,” the EC said, adding that failure to do so would amount to a corrupt practice.

Polling is due in Rajasthan for the assembly election on November 25, and the AAP is contesting from the state. AAP also fought elections in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, where polling has been done. Counting of votes will take place on December 3.