Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

On July 30, the Delhi High Court in its verdict forfeited the Election Commission’s right to reply to the plea made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the “poll panel’s order to lodge an FIR against him for his alleged bribery remark” at election rallies held in Goa during January last year. The court cited the reason for taking away EC’s right that the commission failed to file response even when it was presented with “repeated opportunities”, reported PTI.

The lawyer representing the poll panel had earlier told the Delhi high court that only a complaint case was pending in a Goa court against Kejriwal’s alleged bribery remarks. No FIR was filed against the AAP leader even after EC asked the state Chief’s Electoral Official to file one.

During his Goa rallies, Kejriwal had allegedly told the voters to “accept money from the Congress and BJP candidates but vote for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)”.

Kejriwal in his plea has alleged that the order given by the poll panel on 29 January 2017 has limited his right to free speech, reported NDTV.

The poll panel had later directed to lodge a complaint against the AAP chief under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act which deals with bribing voters and other sections of the IPC.

The matter will now be discussed next year in February, said Justice V K Rao after forfeiting Election Commission’s right to file a response.

By isha

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