New Delhi: Even before the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced dates of polling and results of the Karnataka Assembly elections 2018, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted the date of polling and counting.
When asked on Twitter how he had access to the dates before the EC annoucement, Malviya said a news channel flashed the dates and they were already public.
He, however, ended up getting the date of results wrong.
Reacting to Malviya’s tweet, Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted: BJP becomes the ‘Super Election Commission’ as they announce poll dates for Karnataka even before the EC. Credibility of EC is on test. Will EC now issue notice to BJP President, Amit Shah & register an FIR against BJP IT Head for leaking EC’s confidential information?
Journalists gathered at the Election Commission office in New Delhi, where the press conference was underway, raised the matter with Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat, questioning how a political party had access to what is to be highly confidential information.
“We will find out what happened and a full investigation will be launched. Let us not speculate on what they have,” Rawat said. At the end of the press conference, Rawat reiterated that the EC will not take the matter lightly. “Certain things may have leaked for which Election Commission will take appropriate action. It will be investigated. Be assured that actions legally and administratively befitting will be taken.” Malviya, having got the dates wrong, deleted his tweet.
AMIT MALVIYA’s LETTER to ECI: