Poll panel unimpressed with VK Malhotra's excuse

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Sunday expressed its “displeasure” with the reply of V K Malhotra, the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for Delhi, to its notice on violating its instructions.

On November 10, the poll panel served a notice to Malhotra for violating the model code of conduct on use of vehicles and had asked him to reply by November 11. It said more vehicles than permitted were used when Malhotra went for filing his papers.

Malhotra replied to the notice the following day, but the commission on Sunday said it found the reply “not satisfactory” and conveyed its displeasure to him.

In his reply, Malhotra said he did not violate any norms while filing his nomination.

He also said that he went to the returning officer's office in his car with his wife and Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan and there was no other car with them.

The Election Commission issued Malhotra notice for “violation of standing instructions regarding the maximum number of vehicles permitted within periphery of 100 metres of returning officer and persons inside the chamber while filing his nomination papers”.

Malhotra, contesting from the Greater Kailash constituency, filed his nomination papers at the returning office in the Jamnagar House on the Shahjahan Road November 8.

The commission had also ordered the immediate transfer of Greater Kailash Returning Officer Bans Raj Ram, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Puspender Kumar and Sub-Inspector K L Yadav for failure to implement its orders.

Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan told IANS that the BJP would try to satisfy the Election Commission again.

“It was not our intention to flout any norm, so we will give explanation again,” he said.

There is no notice from the Election Commission. They have only said that the commission is not satisfied with the explanation and that the candidate should keep it in mind in future. They haven't asked for any further explanation and there is no talk of any further action either,” said Virender Sachdeva, Malhotra's media coordinator.