New Delhi: The Election Commission on Monday sent a showcause notice to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for violating the Model Code of Conduct at an election rally on March 4.
Campaigning in Bhadohi, Yadav had had asked voters to accept money from other parties but to cast their ballot for the Samajwadi Party.
"I (have) heard that voters are being given money. My advice to you is to keep the money with yourself and vote for the bicycle," Akhilesh had said.
Prime facie finding him guilty of violating the model code, the Commission asked him to respond by March 7 as to why action should not be taken against him.
According to the Commission's notice, Yadav had asked voters to accept money from other parties, but vote for the 'bicycle' symbol of the ruling Samajwadi Party.
The poll watchdog reminded him that bribery and abetment of bribery of voters is a penal offence.
The BJP, which is looking to topple the SP government in the state, had approached the Election Commission against the CM’s remarks.
Earlier, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had been let off with a light rap by the Election Commission when he made a similar remark in Goa that he had no problem with people accepting money from other parties to attend their rallies but that they should vote for the BJP.
The EC had also directed registration of an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for asking voters in Goa to accept money from other parties, but vote for AAP which was testing its popularity in the coastal state.
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