Is EC a ‘subsidiary organisation’ of BJP, asks Atishi over show-cause notice to her

PTI, Apr 5, 2024, 8:12 PM IST

New Delhi: Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Atishi lashed out at the Election Commission (EC) after she was served a show-cause notice on Friday, asking if it was a ‘subsidiary organisation’ of the BJP.

The notice was issued to her over her remarks that the BJP had approached her to either join the party or be prepared to be nabbed by the Enforcement Directorate within a month.

In a press conference, Atishi alleged that the notice was leaked to the media by the BJP an hour before the EC sent it to her through email.

She asked why the Election Commission did not issue notices to the central agencies concerned after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested and bank accounts of the Congress were frozen ahead of elections.

She asked if the Election Commission is a ‘subsidiary organisation’ of the BJP.

She said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wrote multiple letters to the poll panel over the BJP’s ‘objectionable’ hoardings and posters, but no action was taken on them.

Atishi said she will reply to the notice and remind the Election Commission of the neutrality and non-partisanship expected of it in conducting free and fair elections in the country.

In its notice, the poll panel asked Atishi to back with facts her statement that the BJP approached her to join the party.

The BJP moved the poll commission a day back against Atishi’s claim made on April 2.