Election Clash: PDP Candidate Under Fire for Late-Night Campaigning

The Election Commission has issued a showcause notice to People's Democratic Party candidate Aga Muntazir Mehdi for alleged Model Code of Conduct violations during Budgam bypolls. Mehdi contends the gatherings were spontaneous community events, not deliberate campaign efforts, emphasizing the gatherings' cultural significance.

The Election Commission has handed a showcause notice to Aga Muntazir Mehdi, a candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, for supposedly contravening the Model Code of Conduct during the Budgam bypolls by holding late-night campaigning without authorization.

Mehdi, however, argued that there was no intentional breach of regulations, stating that the congregation was not a planned event but a spontaneous gathering of villagers expressing their cultural and emotional connections.

Complaints from rival candidates and video evidence from social media have highlighted the alleged infractions. The Commission has sought Mehdi's justification within 24 hours, warning of strict action for future breaches.