New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Monday sent a letter to the Election Commission of India seeking a week's time to respond to its showcause notice.
Rahul Gandhi in his speech at a rally in Churu on October 23 and in Indore on October 24 had alleged that Pakistan's spy agency ISI was approaching Muzaffarnagar riot victims to spread violence.
The Gandhi scion was supposed to send his reply by 11:30 am on Monday, but he has now sought a week's time.
On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi was issued notice by the poll panel for his speeches in which he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of causing communal flare-ups and noted that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was contacting the Muzaffarnagar riot victims.
The commission, in its notice, said Gandhi's election speeches in Churu and Indore were prima facie "violative" of the model code of conduct and asked him to reply by Monday why action should not be taken against him. The notice was issued on the BJP's complaints to the commission.
In a release, EC said it viewed CDs of Gandhi's speeches and had detailed deliberations on the issue.