EC reprimands Adityanath, wants FIR against him

Two days ahead of bypolls in UP, the Election Commission on Thursday reprimanded BJP MP Yogi Adityanath for “provoking feelings of enmity” during his speech in Noida and asked the state poll officials to ensure filing of an FIR against him.

Two days ahead of bypolls in UP, the Election Commission on Thursday reprimanded BJP MP Yogi Adityanath for “provoking feelings of enmity” during his speech in Noida and asked the state poll officials to ensure filing of an FIR against him.

The EC’s rebuke for the Hindutva hardliner for allegedly invoking “religion” and making “appeal on this ground to secure votes” for his party came a day after he was booked for defying a ban on election meeting in Lucknow.

The poll body in its order also cautioned the BJP leader to be careful in his future public utterances. Unlike in some instances in past, the EC did not debar him from campaigning.

On directions of the EC the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh filed a case against him. By-polls will take place on Saturday in Noida and other assembly constituencies of UP and Adityanath is BJP’s lead campaigner.

The Commission also expressed its displeasure with the MP for not addressing his reply to the EC and rather marking the communication as “What So Ever It May Concern”.

The EC also said in its considered view the MP from Gorakpur had “violated the provisions of model code of conduct” and was being reprimanded for the same.