Poll panel issues notice to Yogi Adityanath

The Election Commission Tuesday issued a notice to BJP MP Yogi Adityanath for violating the model code of conduct by allegedly making statements appealing to voters on religious grounds.

The EC asked the the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Gorakhpur to explain by Wednesday why action should not be taken against him.

The notice was issued after the panel received a report from the Gautam Buddh Nagar election officer that Adityanath had Sep 7 made certain statements while campaigning for Uttar Pradesh assembly bypolls.

"The commission is prima facie of the opinion that by making the aforesaid statements you have violated the provisions of the model code of conduct," the EC notice said.