Breaking news: EC bans BJP MP Parvesh Verma from campaigning for 24 hours, to miss campaigning on last day

In a major blow to BJP MP Parvesh Verma, the Election Commission on Wednesday (February 5) banned him from campaigning for Delhi Assembly Election 2020 for 24 hours from 6 pm on Wednesday.

Notably, the campaigning for February 8 Assembly poll in Delhi is set to end on Thursday (February 6) and EC's decision means that the Verma will not be able to campaign for his party on the last day. Verma, one of the star campaigners of the BJP, was earlier banned by the EC for making controversial remarks at an election rally and was prohibited from campaigning for four days.

On Thursday (January 30), Verma, who is the BJP MP from West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, was banned from campaigning by the EC for four days for making controversial remarks.

On January 29, 2020, Parvesh Verma was issued a notice by the EC for his statement that people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh would be cleared in an hour if the BJP comes to power in the national capital. He also laced his comments with a sensational remark, "They will enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters".

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"It is an election to decide the unity of a nation. If the BJP comes to power on February 11, you will not find a single protester within an hour. And within a month, we will not spare a single mosque built on government land," he had added.

In a separate statement, the poll commission noted that Verma's comments had the potential to aggravate existing differences and create mutual hatred between religious communities and was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. His request for an opportunity of a personal hearing in the matter was dismissed by the EC.

Delhi Assembly election is on February 8, 2020, while the counting of votes and results will come on February 11.