Despite being barred for 3 days, Sadhvi Pragya campaigns, gets EC notice

Bhopal, May 05: Bhopal District Election Officer on Sunday sent a notice to BJP candidate from Bhopal, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur over a complaint of her campaigning during the three-day period when she was barred by EC from campaigning. The officer has sought a reply from her.

Sadhvi Pragya, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Bhopal on BJP ticket, was barred from campaigning ​for 72 hours for her remarks on former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare and for expressing pride about her role in the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992.

The poll body "strongly condemned" Thakur's comments and warned her "not to repeat the misconduct in future".

The Election Commission said that though Thakur - who is out on bail at present in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case - apologised for her statement about Karkare, it found the comments to be unwarranted.

On her comment expressing "extreme pride" at her role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the Election Commission noted that the BJP candidate's explanation was not satisfactory and held her guilty of violating the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.

Elections for 542 seats of Lok Sabha will end with voting in 59 seats in the seventh phase on May 19 while counting of votes will take place on May 23 and results will be declared simultaneously.