lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Mar 20, 2019 13:26 IST

The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a notice to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Asansol Member of Parliament Babul Supriyo for a campaign song uploaded on social media without the commission’s prior permission.

The Election Commission of India, while not taking cognizance of the complaint that was forwarded to it by Asansol police, has asked the minister to explain within 48 hours why the video was circulated on social media without clearance from the election watchdog.

It is prescribed in poll guidelines that anything relating to elections must be vetted by EC before it is uploaded on social media. The minister has been asked to explain by Thursday why this was not done, an EC official, who did not wish to be quoted, said in Kolkata.

The Asansol MP has, however, denied uploading the video or receiving EC’s notice. “I have not received the show-cause notice yet. I will give my reply once I get it. However I want to clarify that I did not upload the video on any social media. The media was present when the video was shot in Mumbai. Maybe someone recorded it and make it public,” Supriyo said.

An organisation, claimed to be affiliated to Trinamool Congress, had lodged a police complaint alleging the song maligns the party.

Meanwhile, a Trinamool Congress delegation led by the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien told the EC, “BJP leaders are openly threatening IAS and IPS officers serving in the state.”