BJP MLA told to remove FB picture with Abhinandan

New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Delhi BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma for posting a picture on Facebook featuring him along with Indian Air Force officer Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

The District Election Officer (East) asked Sharma to remove the post and submit a reply by 11 a.m. on Thursday. The Commission had also issued him a notice on Tuesday over the same issue. 

The said picture features the Vishwas Nagar MLA along with Wing Commander Varthaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and violates the Model Code of Conduct, the notice said.

Referring to its December 2013 letter, the poll panel had last Saturday asked all political parties to refrain from making references to defence personnel in advertisements as part of their political campaign and had directed that any posts on Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter and YouTube violating these instructions must be deleted.