The Election Commission (EC) has taken action against BJP MP Dilip Ghosh following his controversial comments on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Responding to a complaint filed by the Trinamool Congress, the Election Commission on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to Ghosh, prompting the senior politician to apologise.

The incident arose from remarks made by Ghosh in which he questioned the integrity of Mamata Banerjee, saying, “When Didi (CM Mamata Banerjee) goes to Goa, she calls herself the daughter of Goa. When she goes to Tripura, So she says she is a daughter of Tripura. She should first identify his father,” as captured in a video clip now going viral.

The Election Commission considered these comments “derogatory, insulting and prima facie in violation of the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct” and sought a reply from Ghosh by 5 pm on Friday.

In an attempt to defuse the situation, Ghosh issued an apology on Wednesday morning, acknowledging the objections raised by his party and others regarding his choice of words. “If that’s the case, I’m sorry about it,” he said.

The controversy has come to light amid preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, for which the Election Commission announced the schedule on March 16. The electoral process, which will be held in seven phases over six weeks from April 19 to June 1, will witness the world’s largest democratic process. Exercise. The result is set to be declared on June 4.

Apart from the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission has also scheduled assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha as well as assembly by-elections for 26 vacant seats, indicating a surge in political activity in the coming months.