Delhi Public Works Department engineer booked for allowing CM Atishi to ‘improperly use’ official vehicle

An engineer from the Delhi Public Works Department was hired for allowing the alleged activities misuse of a government vehicle – said Prime Minister Atishi Indian Express on Tuesday.

The government-owned car was allegedly used provide campaign materials to the Prime Minister’s electoral office, in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The model code of conduct came into force on January 7, when the Election Commission announced the poll schedule for the Delhi Assembly elections. The vote will take place in one stage on February 5, and the vote counting will take place on February 8.

The Code is a set of guidelines issued by an electoral panel that political parties, candidates and the government must follow during elections. It sets up guardrails for speeches, campaigns, meetings, processions, election manifestos and other aspects of polling.

The Code prohibits the use of official or government vehicles for campaigning, electioneering or election-related travel.

“Though the alleged use of the vehicle for political purposes implicates Atishi, a First Information Report has been filed against Sanjay Kumar (Public Works Department) as he is the custodian of the vehicle,” an unidentified official said Indian Express.

An FIR was registered against Kumar on January 11 for allegedly disobeying orders issued by a government official and allegedly failing to prevent misuse of vehicle under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Several news outlets initially wrongly reported that an FIR had been registered against Atishi.

In response, the national organizer of the Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal stated, “Their leaders are openly distributing money, saris, blankets, gold chains etc., getting fake votes and yet not even the first information report has been recorded.”

“But an FIR is immediately registered against Chief Minister Atishi ji,” he added. “The Aam Aadmi Party is fighting against the entire system. This rotten system needs to be changed and cleansed together with the people. Both the BJP and the Congress are part of the same rotten system.”