The Election Commission on Wednesday asked Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to explain statements he made in Goa where he reportedly asked voters to accept bribes from other parties but to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party, ANI reported. Parrikar has been given until February 3 to submit his reply.

On January 30, the chief electoral officer in Goa had received a complaint accusing Parrikar of making such remarks. The complainant and Goa Forward Spokesperson, Durgadas Kamat, provided a video showing the defence minister making the controversial statement.

“If someone conducts a rally tomorrow and you take Rs 500-600 to go with him, there is nothing wrong in that. But make sure you vote only for the lotus [BJP’s symbol],” Parrikar is seen telling voters in Goa’s Chimbel, IANS reported. A day after reportedly making the controversial statements, the news agency quoted the defence minister asking voters in Goa’s Porvorim to not “succumb to greed as voting is a pure deed”.

The chief electoral officer, Kunal, said the authenticity of the video is being verified. “Parrikar being a star campaigner, the report will be sent to the election commission,” Kunal told The Times of India.

On January 29, the Election Commission had ordered for the filing of a First Information Report against Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal for making similar statements in Goa during his visit to the state on January 8. The poll panel had censured him for violating the Model Code of Conduct in poll-bound Goa. The EC had said Kejriwal’s remarks had amounted to “abetting and promoting electoral offence of bribery”.

Kejriwal took to Twitter on January 30 and urged the Prime Minister’s Office to “allow the EC to act against Parrikar” and dared the commission to penalise the defence minister.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief had said that he would challenge the poll panel’s order. “EC order against me is completely wrong...Will challenge EC’s latest order in court,” he had added. The AAP convenor argued that his remarks were meant to curb graft and asked the poll panel to review its order.