EC orders FIR against Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh

The Election Commission of India also prohibited him from holding any public meetings, processions, rallies, roadshows and interviews, public utterances in the media in connection with the ongoing elections for 72 hours from 6 pm on February 19.

Hyderabad (Telangana):TheElection Commission of India has ordered the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana to register an FIR against Telangana’s BJP MLA Raja Singh for threatening Uttar Pradesh voters of dire consequences if they don’t vote for the saffron party. The order was issued on Saturday. With no response received from Singh within the stipulated time to the show cause notice issued by it, the poll panel asked Telangana CEO to register FIR against relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People’s Act.

The Commission also prohibited him from holding any public meetings, processions, rallies, roadshows and interviews, public utterances in the media in connection with the ongoing elections for 72 hours from 6 pm on February 19.

The poll panel deplored the statements made by Raja Singh and censured him for the violation stating that the MLA violated Sections 171 C and 171 F of the Indian Penal Code, section 123 of the Representation of the People Act and Model Code of Conduct.

The Election Commission had on Wednesday asked Singh to show cause within 24 hours as to why appropriate penal action under criminal law should not be initiated against him.

“Take notice that in the event of no response from your side within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in the matter and the Election Commission will take appropriate action or decision in the matter without making any further reference to you," read the notice.

The MLA through his advocate sought time till February 21 to furnish the reply, but the Commission asked him to reply by 1 pm on February 19. The poll panel, however, received no response from him within the stipulated time.

The controversial MLA, in the video released after the second phase of polling for the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, threatened voters that if they don’t cast their votes for BJP their houses will be demolished they will be driven out of the state.

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