No deliberate delay by Returning Officer: EC on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal waiting for hours to file nomination

The Election Commission on Tuesday (January 21) rejected reports that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was deliberately made to wait for over six hours by the EC to file his nomination from New Delhi seat. 

The EC said that the Returning Officer (RO) did not cause the delay intentionally and a proper procedure to check the documents should be followed by the RO while receiving nominations from candidates.

“This office is receiving some information via social media that nomination of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was being delayed deliberately by the Returning officer (RO) and it was taking 30-35 minutes for checking nomination of the candidate just to delay the process,” the Office of District Election Officer said in a statement.

“It is hereby clarified that the above information is misleading and there is no deliberate delay on the part of the election machinery. There is a procedure to be followed by the RO while receiving nominations from candidates,” the statement added.

Due to reported delay in filing nomination, Aam Aadmi Party had earlier said that the ruling BJP at the Centre was not allowing Kejriwal to file his nomination papers. Senior AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had also alleged that the BJP is trying to stop Kejriwal from filing the nomination for contesting the Delhi assembly election 2020.

Sisodia took to Twitter and said, ''No matter what the saffron party does, but it won't be able to stop Arvind Kejriwal from becoming the chief minister for the third time.''