Delhi Assembly Election 2020: EC bans Kapil Mishra from campaigning for 48 hours for posting controversial tweets

New Delhi: Cracking the whip, the Election Commission on Saturday imposed a 48-hour campaigning ban on BJP candidate from Delhi’s Model Town constituency Kapil Mishra over his controversial tweets. The ban order, approved by the Chief Election Commissioner and two fellow Election Commissioners, came into force from 5 pm on Saturday, EC officials said. [caption id=“attachment_7955541” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Kapil Mishra. ANI[/caption] The order, they said, referred to Mishra’s tweets of 22 and 23 January. “Delhi mein chote chote Pakistan bane (Number of mini Pakistan has been created in Delhi)”, “Shaheen Bagh mein Pakistan ki entry”, “India Vs Pakistan 8 February Delhi”, and AAP and Congress have created Shaheen Bagh like Pakistan are some of the contents in the tweets the EC order referred to. While Twitter had taken down one of his controversial tweets on Friday following directions of the EC, an FIR was lodged against him under section 125 of the Representation of the People Act dealing with creating enmity among classes. The order said the poll panel was not satisfied with Mishra’s reply to the show-cause notice issued to him. It charged Mishra with violating provisions of the model code of Conduct dealing with aggravating existing differences or creating mutual hatred. The order said the EC “condemns” the statements made by the BJP candidate and bars him from holding public meets, taking out public processions, holding rallies and roadshows giving interviews and making public utterances in electronic, print and social media. The EC, using its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution, has barred leaders from campaigning in the past either in states or at the national level.