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Goa Elections 2017: More Kejri defiance can lead to freeze on AAP symbol: EC

Taking strong exception to Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal’s election speech in Goa, the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday asked the law authorities to file an FIR against him under the Representation of the People’s Act and IPC sections dealing with inducement and bribery.

In its order, the poll watchdog found Kejriwal violating the Model Code of Conduct on several occasions by breaking his assurance to the EC during the Delhi Assembly elections in 2015.

The EC also warned Kejriwal that not to violate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in future. If proven guilty, he can attract an imprisonment of one year and fine or both. The Commission has asked the Goa administration to send a compliance report in this regard latest by 3 pm on January 31.

The warning includes action against Kejriwal and AAP under Para 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, if he violates the MCC in future. Action under Para 16A can even lead to a freeze on AAP’s symbol jhadu (broom).

Rubbishing Kejriwal’s counter- claims that the “the Commission is encouraging bribery by refraining him from uttering such statements”, the EC said: “These submissions being baseless and scurrilous are totally unjustified in the light of the provisions of the law on bribery and are not acceptable to the Commission.”

“Within 24 hours of PM Modi dictating criticism of EC is not acceptable, EC orders registration of FIR against @ArvindKejriwal coincidence?” tweeted Nagender Sharma, media advisor of AAP. Kejriwal retweeted the tweets.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and in-charge of Delhi, Ajay Maken asked Kejriwal to come clean within 24 hours to the allegations of corruption against his brother-in-law Surender Kumar Bansal, which have been unearthed by an NGO through RTI queries.

The charges relate to Bansal bagging contracts in the name of different companies, allegedly with forged and fake documents and with the connivance of the Delhi government’s PWD unit and the illegal money being used for Punjab and Goa elections.

Maken also alleged that Kejriwal and Health Minister Satyender Jain misused their positions by extending valuable benefits to Dr Nikunj Aggarwal, son-in-law of Kejriwal’s sister-in-law.

Source: dnaindia.com