The Delhi election office has sought details from the returning officer of Chandni Chowk constituency over the use of allegedly objectionable words in a song played during the election meeting of AAP candidate Ashutosh.
Apart from this, AAP candidate from South Delhi constituency Devinder Sehrawat was issued a notice by the election department over a complaint by a rival for distribution of allegedly defamatory pamphlets.
Ankur Garg, chief nodal officer for the Delhi elections, on Monday said that the election office was informed about alleged use of an objectionable version of the Bollywood song Bachna aye hasino from the 1977 film Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, in Chandni Chowk by the AAP candidate.
“We have sought a report from the returning officer to see if objectionable language was used. If needed, we will issue a notice to the candidate,” he said. “We will not allow use of foul language in the campaign,” Garg said.
In South Delhi constituency, the AAP candidate was questioned by the returning officer on his alleged link with some derogatory pamphlets that were being distributed through newspaper vendors against BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri.
Ashish Sood, vice president of Delhi BJP and convenor of the elections of South Delhi constituency, welcomed the development of a notice being issued to the AAP candidate.
“Our stand has been vindicated. We have been complaining that the Aam Aadmi Party has been pursuing a sleaze campaign against our candidate Ramesh Bidhuri,” Sood said.
161 FIRs for violations
Garg said that from the start of the campaign, a total of 161 FIRs have been registered against political parties for poll code violations. A bulk of these are related to defacement of property.
“Twenty-one FIRs have been registered against BJP, 18 against AAP and 17 against Congress,” Garg said.
In East Delhi constituency, at least five cases of paid news are under the election office’s scanner and one matter has been referred in appeal to the chief nodal officer, an election official said.
“Three of these matters relate to AAP candidate Rajmohan Gandhi, two related to BJP candidate Maheish Girri and one linked to Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit,” he said.
The election office has also recovered nearly 20,000 litres of liquor till the model code of conduct came into force.
“We have also identified over two dozen spots, which we may raid on the night before voting to check distribution of liquor to the electorate,” the official said.
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