Arvind Kejriwal's bribery remark: Delhi HC seeks EC's response
Poll panel had lodged FIR against Delhi CM during Goa polls.
New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Monday sought the Election Commission’s (EC) response on Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea against its order to lodge an FIR against him for his bribery remarks during the Goa Assembly polls in January this year.
Justice Indermeet Kaur asked the EC to indicate its stand on Mr Kejriwal’s petition, which alleged that the poll panel’s January 29 order curtailed his right to free speech.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on February 2 next year.
The judge, during the hearing, observed that Mr Kejriwal has come to the court late against the poll panel’s decision and asked whether he was “being casual about it”.
The EC’s counsel orally informed the court that an FIR was registered on January 30 against Mr Kejriwal as per the commission’s directions.
The commission in its January 29 order had directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Goa to lodge an first information report (FIR) against Mr Kejriwal for his bribery remarks made at poll rallies in the state on January 7 and 8.
During his series of election rallies in Goa on the two days, the Delhi chief minister had appealed to the voters to “accept money from the Congress and the BJP candidates, but vote for the Aam Aadmi Party.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had filed two complaints against Mr Kejriwal seeking his prosecution under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Congress too condemned Mr Kejriwal’s alleged bribery remarks.
The poll panel had, thereafter, directed that a complaint be lodged against the Aam Aadmi Party leader under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act dealing with bribing voters and relevant sections of the IPC.
The lawyer representing the Delhi chief minister contended in the high court that the January 29 direction of the commission was like a gag order against him.
The commission had earlier also censured the chief minister for violating the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, the lawyer said.