New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has ordered the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to modify the content of its Lok Sabha elections’ campaign song. The poll panel said that the repeated reference of Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in a slogan in the song casts aspersions on the judiciary, which violates the provisions of its guidelines and the Advertising Codes.
The Election Commission has asked Delhi’s ruling party to resubmit the poll song for certification after making the required changes.
In March, Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. AAP claims that he was jailed because the BJP didn’t want him to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. However, earlier this month, the Delhi high court upheld his arrest.
“The phrase ‘jail ke jawaab me hum vote denge’ showing an aggressive mob holding the photo of Arvind Kejriwal showing him behind bars, casts aspersions on the judiciary. Further, the said phrase appears several times in the advertisement which contravenes the provisions of ECI Guidelines and Rule 6(1(g) of Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994,” it said.
Atishi claimed it was the first time in the history of the country that the poll panel has put a ban on a campaign song.
“Another political weapon of the BJP, the Election Commission has put a ban on AAP’s campaign song. This has happened for the first time in the history of India, that the Election Commission has put a ban on the election song of a political party,” Atishi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
