New Delhi: The Election Commission on Monday granted two more days to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal to reply to its notice for Model Code violation, even as it initiated a probe into allegation against him for being enrolled in voters' list in two assembly seats.
The EC had issued a notice to Kejriwal for appealing to Muslims in Delhi to votes on religious grounds and he urged it to grant him two more days to reply to the notice.
He was served a notice by EC on November 20 after he distributed pamphlets asking Muslims to vote for AAP and was asked to reply by today.
"The Commission has considered your request for extension of time for reply to notice dated November 20, 2013, for filing your reply to the said Notice and has decided to extend the time for reply as requested by you. Accordingly, you are requested to reply to the above notice by 11 AM on November 27, 2013," the EC letter said.
In the probe initiated against him, the Delhi CEO directed the poll officers to file a report within two days.
"Even though we have not received any complaint, but taking cognisance of media reports have asked the District Election Officers of New Delhi and North-East Delhi to go through the voter enrolment form filed by Kejriwal. They have been asked to file a report in 48 hours," said Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev.
Any further action will be taken after the report is submitted, he said.
The EC notice to him said, "The Commission has prima facie observed that by distributing the pamphlet (seeking Muslim votes), you have violated the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct."
The Delhi BJP had approached the Election Commission on Friday against Kejriwal alleging that he was enrolled as a voter in three different constituencies, two in Delhi and one in Uttar Pradesh.
The notice to him follows a complaint filed by Harish Khurana, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana, who objected to pamphlets being distributed by Kejriwal containing appeals to Muslim voters for their backing.
The pamphlet, whose objectionable parts EC has reproduced in its notice, purportedly has AAP saying that, "Delhi's Muslims should support AAP in the forthcoming polls.
"We (AAP) are not seeking votes for power or money but for rooting out corruption from the system and building a corruption-free India where people belonging to all religions can live in peace," the pamphlet said.
Kejriwal has appealed in the pamphlet that, "BJP is a communal party. Till now Muslims did not have any alternative, but now they have an honest alternative in the form of AAP.
"We appeal to Muslim voters of Delhi to back our endeavours for clean politics and not fall into the trap in which they have been falling for the past 65 years."
The Model Code prohibits any such appeal before a poll which invokes religion or caste for securing votes and says mosques, churches, temples or other places of worship shall not be used as a forum for election propaganda.
