New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday hit back at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, rejecting their claims of bias and calling their accusations a deliberate attempt to malign the poll body.
AAP had accused the ECI of selectively targeting its leaders while ignoring alleged misconduct by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. However, the commission dismissed these allegations, stating that it is committed to impartiality.
“The 3-member Commission collectively noted repeated deliberate pressure tactics to malign ECI in Delhi Elections, as if it is a single-member body, and decided to have constitutional restraint, absorbing such outbursts with sagacity, stoically, and not to be swayed by such insinuations,” the ECI said in a post on X.
The controversy erupted after the Delhi Police registered two FIRs—one against Atishi and another against her supporters—for allegedly obstructing a police official and violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Reacting to the FIRs, Atishi accused the BJP of engaging in “hooliganism” and claimed the ECI and Delhi Police were shielding saffron party workers while targeting AAP members.
“The BJP is openly engaging in hooliganism. But instead of taking action against them, Delhi Police is protecting them, while the Election Commission is filing cases against those who are raising complaints,” she alleged.
Atishi further accused BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri and his family of orchestrating violence in Kalkaji but claimed no action had been taken against them.
“The people of Delhi are watching everything. On one side, there is a party that wants to stop free welfare schemes and is engaging in violence. On the other, the AAP is working so that every household saves ₹25,000 per month,” she stated.
The Delhi Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8.