'BJP Trolls In EC': AAP Slams Poll Body For Rejecting Its Haryana Rally Plea Using 'Expletives'

The Aam Aadmi Party alleged that its plea seeking permission for two poll-related programmes from the authorities concerned was denied.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday alleged that its plea seeking permission for two poll-related programmes in Haryana was denied permission by the concerned authorities. The party that has announced its candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the state, said that the response to the application seeking permission for the programmes was not just denied but the response was given to the party was abusive in language.

In an X post, the Delhi-ruling party asked, "Shameful! Has the Election Commission recruited BJP trolls in its offices?"

"When the AAP candidates asked permission from the poll body for the election-related program, the Election Commission, abusing the AAP candidate in writing, refused to permit the event," the party alleged. 

"The Election Commission should tell the country that it is not responsible towards all the parties of the country; it has become only a political wing of the BJP," the party said in a Hindi post. 

Haryana Authorities Responds

According to a report by news agency PTI, the authorities in Haryana have taken cognisance of the issue. The sub-divisional magistrate-cum-assistant returning officer in Haryana’s Kaithal, Brahm Prakash, suspended five computer operators. He further directed the police to initiate an investigation into the matter.

AAP's Haryana unit chief Sushil Gupta, who is contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election from the Kurukshetra constituency, said the party had sought permission for poll programmes on April 7 (Sunday).

It is to be noted that Kaithal is located within the Kurukshetra parliamentary constituency.

“In the reply we received, in one case, it was mentioned in writing that the permission has been rejected. In another, abuses were mentioned in the column where reasons for either approval or rejection have to be given,” Gupta was quoted as saying by PTI.

AAP leaders said they had applied for permission for the April 7 programmes on the designated portal. According to the AAP leader, when contacted, Prakash said five computer operators were suspended and police were directed to launch a probe. 

The Lok Sabha elections are slated to be held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. Haryana will go to polls on May 25.