Mohali: On the eve of voting in Punjab, police have booked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.
Mohali senior superintendent of police Harjit Singh said: “Separate FIRs have been registered against Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Admi Party as well as Sukhbir Singh Badal and SAD in connection to the content uploaded on their Facebook pages. They have been booked under Section 188 of IPC and Representation of the People Act.”
In his complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Punjab AAP’s legal cell’s Ferry Sofat alleged violation of Section 126(1) of Representation of the People Act by Sukhbir.
The AAP alleged that “in the silent period, Sukhbir circulated a video on his Facebook page which consists of his vote appeal with intent to misguide voters and undue influence the voters”.
In another complaint, SAD leader and advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler objected to a video uploaded by the AAP on social media, alleging it was done to “to malign the image of the SAD and other political parties in the eyes of the general public”.
In a letter to the Mohali district election officer and senior superintendent of police on the SAD complaint, the office of the Punjab chief electoral officer said: “No party can put any objectionable videos targeting particular political leaders on any prevalent handles on the internet in view of the model code of conduct, which was enforced on January 8.”
{{/usCountry}}In a letter to the Mohali district election officer and senior superintendent of police on the SAD complaint, the office of the Punjab chief electoral officer said: “No party can put any objectionable videos targeting particular political leaders on any prevalent handles on the internet in view of the model code of conduct, which was enforced on January 8.”
{{/usCountry}}The video clip has not been approved by the state-level media certification monitoring committee (MCMC), the letter said, recommending registration of the FIR.
Meanwhile, on AAP’s complaint, the office of Punjab chief electoral officer stated: “The PR team of office of the CEO has reported that the said media content is still running on the Facebook page of Sukhbir Singh Badal which is in violation of Section 126 (1) (b) of Representation of People Act, 1951, as enshrined in chapter 8.3.1 of manual of model conduct of conduct.”
“You are requested to register the FIR accordingly as per the legal provisions,” stated the letter to the Mohali administration and police.
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