Bribe speech: Kejriwal gets Election Commission notice

New Delhi January 20, 2015 Agencies : The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a show cause notice, the second in last three days, to Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal for “prima facie” violation of the poll code by allegedly making a speech where he asked voters to take bribes from the BJP and the Congress but only vote for his party.The EC notice said the statement, made during a public rally on January 18, 2015, in Uttam Nagar in New Delhi, amounts to “abetting and promoting electoral offence of bribery” under relevant sections of the Representation of People Act read with provisions of the IPC.The public speech made by Mr. Kejriwal that invited the EC’s ire was: “It’s election time. When people both from BJP and Congress come offering money, don’t refuse, accept... some have looted money from 2G, some have looted money from coal scam... Take money from both the parties but vote for AAP.“We will fool them this time. They have been deceiving us for the last 65 years. Now it’s our turn,” he had said.The notice said the poll panel “prima facie” was



of the opinion that by making the said statement Mr. Kejriwal has “violated the model code of conduct” which is in force in the national capital in view of the forthcoming Assembly polls on February 7.The EC said it had received complaints in this regard from political parties after which it asked the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi to submit a CD of the speech made for review by it.The EC has asked Mr. Kejriwal to respond and present his side by 4 p.m. on Thursday failing which the poll body “shall take a decision without any further reference” to him.It said the model code of conduct envisages that parties and candidates participating in the electoral fray shall “avoid scrupulously all activities which are corrupt practices and offences under the election law, such as bribing of voters...”Earlier on January 17, Mr. Kejriwal was issued a show cause notice by the EC for “prima facie” violating the code with his remarks alleging that the BJP is trying to incite communal violence in the capital city.The deadline for his reply to this notice is Tuesday.