IT Department summons Congress candidate from Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal

Godiyal received the notice from the I-T department on Tuesday.

The Congress leader, however, alleged that this action is happening because he is contesting elections from Pauri.

"I received a notice from the Income Tax department asking me to personally appear at the IT department's office in Maharashtra's Thane on March 22. It is a summon, but there were no other details mentioned in it," Ganesh Godiyal said while speaking to ANI.

Congress leader Godiyal is contesting Lok Sabha elections against BJP's Anil Baluni from Pauri Garhwal constituency.

Accusing the BJP of trying to hamper the election campaign of the opposition Congress owing to a tough challenge from him in the Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat, Godiyal said he has been summoned by the IT department with the intention not to let him focus on the coming polls.

"It's an attempt to affect my election campaign. Because I am contesting the elections and the ruling BJP feels that the election has slipped from their hands, they are trying to entangle me in such matters," he alleged.

"How can I go there? I am contesting the elections. I have sent an application through my lawyer, and if the government insists, they can arrest me. But until the election is over here, I do not want to get involved in such matters," he added.

Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand are scheduled to take place on April 19, as per the Election Commission of India. This election will be held in a single phase, covering all constituencies. BJP won from all the parliamentary constituencies in the state in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

In 2019, BJP emerged victorious with around 61.01 per cent votes, while Congress INC received 31.40 per cent. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) stood at the third position with 4.48 per cent votes. There are 5 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand, including Almora, Garhwal (Pauri), Haridwar, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, and Tehri Garhwal. (ANI)