This Article is From Feb 03, 2017

Goa Elections 2017: Election Panel Orders Police Case Into Arvind Kejriwal's 'Bribe' Remarks

Goa Elections 2017: Election Panel Orders Police Case Into Arvind Kejriwal's 'Bribe' Remarks

Mr Kejriwal said similar allegations had levelled against him during the 2015 Delhi elections.

New Delhi: Election Commission has ordered the Goa poll authorities to register a police case against Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal for his remarks about bribes at an election rally.

At a public rally in Benaulim earlier this month, Mr Kejriwal said, "If Congress or BJP candidates offer money, do not refuse it. Accept it as your own money. But when it comes to voting, press the button against the name of the AAP candidate."

"The Commission directs that necessary legal action be initiated by filing a complaint against Arvind Kejriwal for the statements... compliance report in this regard should be sent to the Commission latest by 3.00 PM on January 31."

Mr Kejriwal's defence that EC was encouraging bribery by refraining him from making such statements was shot down by the poll authority, which termed his comments as "scurrilous".

"Being Chief Minister of Delhi and a star campaigner of AAP in Goa, he is expected to conduct in an exemplary manner in election campaigns in a law abiding manner so as to be a role model for others to emulate but he has on several occasions again violated provisions of MCC (model code of conduct) by breaking his assurance to EC," the poll panel said.

The commission said it had previously censured Mr Kejriwal for violating the provisions of the model code of conduct and expected him to be more circumspect in public utterances during the election period.

"Arvind Kejriwal has again written a letter... stating therein that he is not abetting bribery by appealing to voters to accept money from any party but to vote in favour of AAP," the commission said.

Mr Kejriwal had said that similar allegations had been levelled against him in the past, during the 2015 Delhi elections and the court had ruled in his favour.

Goa votes on February 4. The results will be declared on March 11.

(With inputs from PTI)
.