AAP demands independent probe into Karnataka election schedule leak

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh address a press conference on Cobrapost and Election Commission issue in the Capital on Tuesday.   | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Party accuses Election Commission of working like a ‘puppet’ of BJP

Accusing the Election Commission of being a puppet of the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday demanded an independent inquiry into the BJP’s IT cell in-charge, Amit Malviya, tweeting the schedule of the Karnataka Assembly polls before the official announcement by the EC.

Worried about 2019 polls

“We have been saying that the present EC is not independent. It was seen in the matter of the EVMs, when it came to announcing Uttar Pradesh polls after the Prime Minister’s rally and then the case of the 20 AAP MLAs. But, today’s incident [apparent leak of Karnataka poll dates] surpassed that all,” said AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.

He added that the EC had become an office of the BJP and was working like a “puppet” of the ruling party. He said the AAP wanted an independent probe into the matter and asked the Opposition parties to also raise the issue. Mr. Singh said if the Opposition did not do so now, the 2019 elections would not be fair.

The AAP also demanded an inquiry into the revelations by the investigative journalism platform Cobrapost, which said on Monday that several top news organisations were involved in paid news.

“Paid news is an old issue...But, what is worse is that these news organisations were taking money to spread communal tensions and instigate riots. We knew that political parties did this, but now the fourth estate is doing so,” said AAP leader Ashutosh, adding that the AAP wanted the matter to be investigated.