On Friday, the Election Commission issued a show-cause notice to Atishi after her statements alleging that the BJP solicited her to join their party.
Delhi minister and prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) figure Atishi
criticized the Election Commission on Friday after receiving a show-cause
notice, suggesting whether the electoral body is essentially under the sway of
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Atishi also alleged that the BJP orchestrated
the media dissemination of the Election Commission notice even before she
received it via email.
"On April 4, the BJP filed a complaint against one of my press
conferences... On April 5 at 11:15 am, news channels reported the notice sent
to Atishi, but I received it in my mail half an hour later. This implies that
the BJP strategically leaked the Election Commission notice to the media before
I even received it... My question is whether the Election Commission has become
a subsidiary arm of the BJP," Atishi stated during a press briefing.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission issued a show-cause notice
to Atishi in response to her assertion that the BJP attempted to recruit her
through an intermediary. She further claimed that she, along with three other
AAP leaders - Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha, and Durgesh Pathak - would face
potential arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) if they refused to join
the BJP.
In its notice, the Election Commission emphasized Atishi's position as a
minister in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and a leader
of a national party, highlighting the impact her statements can have on public
perception during the campaign discourse.
The Election Commission urged Atishi to substantiate her claims with
evidence, emphasizing the necessity for factual accuracy in her statements. The
poll panel emphasized the importance of a factual basis supporting the
assertions made by the AAP leader.