The Election Commission of India has issued a show-cause notice to Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal over the alleged disparaging statements made by the party against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The poll panel has also issued a similar notice to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for making "false" and "unverified" statements against Modi.
Both the leaders have been asked to respond to the notices by November 16.
The BJP had approached the Election Commission demanding action against Vadra for her remarks at a recent election rally in Madhya Pradesh.
The party alleged that Vadra had claimed in the rally that the Modi government had privatised all the public sector undertakings (PSUs) in the country.
She had purportedly alleged that the prime minister had given away PSU BHEL to his industrialist friends.
"Whereas, public generally believes that the statements made by the senior leader that too of a star campaigner of a national party are true, it is expected that such a leader is privy to and possesses factual base of the statements made by him/her. You must have verified the facts as stated so as to not leave any possibility of misleading the voters," the Commission told the Congress leader in its notice issued on Tuesday.
This is the second EC notice issued to Vadra in the ongoing assembly polls in five states.
The saffron party, in another complaint, had demanded action against the AAP for posting a "very unacceptable" and "unethical" video clip and remarks on social media against Modi.
The BJP delegation comprising Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, party national media in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni and party leader Om Pathak approached the poll panel on November 10.
The AAP had posted a video story on X featuring Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani on November 8 and claimed that the prime minister works for the industrialist and not the people.
"...the present alleged matter has been found to be posted from the handle of the Aam Aadmi Party itself, which being a national party is expected to exercise caution through verification of facts before publishing and disseminating such content in public domain,” the Commission said in its notice issued to Kejriwal on Tuesday.
The poll panel asked the AAP leader to explain why appropriate action for violation of model code of conduct should not be taken against the party.
"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 (PM Modi) 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,” the Commission said.
The EC also said if it doesn’t receive a response from the AAP within the stipulated time, it will take appropriate action or decision in the matter without making any further reference to the party.