BJP moves EC, demands FIR against GN Azad, Vikramaditya Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding FIR against Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vikramaditya Singh and an ex-MLA of Banihal town for allegedly violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The BJP, in a complaint filed on Thursday, accused Waqar Rasool Wani, who was campaigning for Congress' candidate from Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency Vikramaditya Singh, of violating MCC by campaigning on polling day and requesting voters of a "particular religion" to vote for their party.

In the audio clip, a copy of which has been sent to the ECI, Wani could be heard saying that Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is currently campaigning in Kerala, called him up and directed him to "appeal to the voters of the erstwhile Doda region belonging to particular community to cast their votes on communal lines," BJP claimed.

The party has requested the ECI and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Shailendra Kumar to take appropriate action against the three leaders under the rules and regulations governing MCC and relevant provisions of Representation of the People Act, 1951.

BJP has further requested the ECI to "debar" Azad from campaigning for Congress in the country.

There are six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which two seats each went to polls on April 11 and 18.