EC censures Kejriwal for model code violation

But Kejriwal has taken to the social media, claiming that the order was wrong.

The Election Commission has censured Aam Aadmi Party Chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for violation of model code of conduct during his election rally in Goa. The order, dated January 20, rejected Arvind Kejriwal's reply to the Election Commission's notice and held him guilty of violating the model code of conduct in poll-bound Goa.

Kejriwal, however, took to social media to declare that the EC's order against him was wrong and said that he would appeal against it in a court.

Kejriwal in a rally in Goa on January 8 had asked voters to accept Rs 10,000 instead of Rs 5,000 from the BJP in exchange for votes. The statement that he meant as a joke on demonetisation certainly didn't amuse the EC. In his reply to the commission's notice, Kejriwal did not deny making such statements but said that he neither offered bribe nor enticed the electors to accept any money from any person.

He had also said that there was nothing in his statement that would amount to abetment of an offence of bribery. The EC, however, rejected his reply. In its order, the election commission has mentioned that his statements came under the ambit of abetting bribery and thus was a violation the model code of conduct since it.