Show-Cause Notice issued by EC to AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi and national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, was served a show-cause notice by the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday. Kejriwal is accused of breaking the model code of conduct by making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the party's social media account. AAP was given a two-day deadline by the EC to respond to the charge by Thursday, November 16.

BJP approaches EC

The action was taken in response to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) approaching the Election Commission (EC) on November 10 to demand action against the AAP, which governs Delhi and Punjab, for sharing a "very unacceptable" and "unethical" video of Prime Minister Modi on its social media accounts. The video in question has billionaire Gautam Adani with Prime Minister Modi, and it was shared by AAP on X, formerly Twitter. In addition, the party released a picture of Modi with Adani, claiming that the prime minister was employed by the businessman rather than the public.

The EC was approached by party leader Om Pathak, union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni, national media coordinator for the party, and others regarding the videos and pictures.

"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 said. "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.

EC's notice to AAP

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 matter without making any further reference to you," the poll panel said.

There are assembly elections in five states right now: Telangana, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.