New Delhi:

The Aam Aadmi Party has sought emergency appointments with the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections, Delhi Minister Atish said on Saturday.

Ms. Atish claimed that the Income Tax Department conducted raids on AAP MLAs and the party’s office in the national capital had been sealed despite representations made by the Bloc leaders to the Election Commission (EC) on Friday.

Ms. Atishi said in a post on Lok Sabha candidates and party leaders were unable to come to the party office for campaign meetings. The IT department raided the home of one of our MLAs. This is the responsibility given to @ECISVEEP by the Constitution of India to ensure a level playing field.”

.@AamAadmiParty Urgent appointments with the Election Commission have been sought to ensure a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections.

Despite statements made yesterday, today @AamAadmiParty The office was sealed. Lok Sabha candidates and party leaders are unable to come… pic.twitter.com/cqb6V8QTSM

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) March 23, 2024

The Income Tax Department (IT) on Saturday conducted searches at the office premises of Delhi AAP MLA Gulab Singh Yadav. Mr Yadav represents Delhi’s Matiala seat and has been elected to MLA twice.

Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bloc India on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India, urging it to intervene as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party “targets opposition leaders through “misuse of central agencies” “the behavior of.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, Abhishek Singhvi, NCP (SCP) leader Jitendra Awhad, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, TMC MP Derek O Brien and several other leaders represented the EC.

The India Group in its memorandum urged the poll body to ensure that any further raids, investigations and arrests are first reviewed and approved by the commission or its sub-committees.

It also urged the electoral commission to take immediate action, including launching investigations into all individuals and officials who abused their power to harass opposition leaders.

“Take any other necessary measures to ensure a level playing field under the constitution and prevent ruling parties from abusing state machinery against leaders and parties contesting in a democratic system,” the memorandum submitted to the poll body reads.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal was arrested by the central agency for refusing to accept multiple summons (nine in total) from the investigating agency, calling it “illegal”. He has been remanded to ED custody until March 28.

The case relates to alleged irregularities and money laundering during the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Duty Policy 2022, which was later repealed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)