Assembly Elections 2022: EC Changing Rules to Register New Party at BJP's Behest, Claims AAP; Poll Panel Terms Charge Factually Incorrect

New Delhi, Jan 13: The AAP on Thursday claimed that the Election Commission is going to register a new political party by bringing changes in its rules at the behest of the BJP, an allegation the poll panel described as "factually incorrect".

Addressing a press conference here, party spokesperson Raghav Chadha alleged that the move has been set in motion by the BJP to stop the AAP from winning assembly elections in Punjab and forming its government in the state.

Responding to the allegation, an EC spokesperson said it is "factually incorrect" to say that the reduction of public notice period in guidelines for registration of political parties from four weeks to one week has never been done.

"It is being done from past several elections. It was done in 2019 Lok Sabha election and announced through a press note dated March 15, 2019," the spokesperson said. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: SP-RLD Alliance Announces First List of 29 Candidates.

"It was done again during Bihar elections in 2020 vide press note dated October 8, 2020.

"And then in 2021 during five state assembly elections vide press note dated March 2, 2021," the spokesperson added .

The EC spokesperson said this is a facilitation measure considered by the poll panel for all similarly situated parties.

"There is thus no question of bias or favour. When decided, it is announced through an open press note," the spokesperson pointed out.

While making the claim, Chadha, however, did not share the name of the party which he claimed is going to be registered by the Commission, saying it will soon be known to everybody.

"We have received very solid information that the Election Commission of India is going to register a (new) political party giving it a special treatment," Chadha, who is also co-in charge of the AAP's political affairs in Punjab, told reporters.

For this, the commission is going to bring "two big changes" in the registration of the political parties, he claimed.

"First, the election commission is going to reduce the period of raising any objection to the registration of a new political party to 7 days from 30 days," he said.

The second change that the EC is going to bring in its rules is to provide for registration of a new political party after announcement of the schedules of the elections and imposition of a model code of conduct.

"The BJP is now providing all types of facilitation and relief for the registration of a particular political party under a special treatment only to stop AAP from coming to power in Punjab after it realised that neither the Akali Dal, nor the Congress, nor the front created by it joining hands with Amarinder Singh would be able to stop AAP," Chadha claimed.

"It appears that after registration of this political party, it will cut the votes of the AAP," he added.

The AAP leader demanded that the Election Commission and the BJP both must tell the people the name of "this special political formation" for whose registration as a political party the rules are being amended and relaxed.

"I want to ask directly to (Home Minister) Amit Shah as to which party the BJP wants to bring in the elections for which all these arrangements are being made. What was the need to change the rules overnight for registration of a special political party?" he asked, adding "it appears that the party, after its registration, will only cut the votes of the AAP in elections."

The AAP leader also demanded that those seeking registration of their "political morcha" as a political party to contest assembly polls in Punjab should also disclose their relationship with the BJP and Shah.

The AAP is the main Opposition party in Punjab where polling to elect 117 members of the State Legislative Assembly is scheduled to be held on February 14.