Lok Sabha Elections 2019: AAP’s Chadha urges election officer to take stock of ads for fair polls

The Aam Aadmi Party’s Lok Sabha candidate from South Delhi, Raghav Chadha, on Thursday wrote to the chief electoral officer of Delhi, asking his office to issue directions to all political parties with regard to advertisements in outdoor media, to ensure fair elections.

He argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures are visible in public spaces, under both government and non-government advertisements, and they should be subjected to the same standards as those of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Chadha referred to a recent direction from the office of the chief electoral officer of Delhi, which had issued instructions to political parties to adhere to the model code of conduct with regard, in view of the general elections.

In his letter, Chadha urged the chief electoral officer to be impartial in issuing directions on removing and covering pictures of Kejriwal and the words “Aam Aadmi” in outdoor media, which includes public transport, billboards and hoardings in public places.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor had tweeted on Tuesday, accusing the AAP of violating the model code of conduct through advertisements in public buses and had tagged the Twitter handle of the chief electoral officer of Delhi.

The office of the chief electoral officer of Delhi, however, maintains that the model code of conduct is applicable equally on all parties.

“The commission never issues any such selective directions against any political party,” a senior official at the chief electoral officer of Delhi said.

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