Chandigarh, April 2 (IANS): The Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against National Commission for Minorities Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura for "openly and illegally participating" in political activities of the BJP while holding the constitutional post and urged the poll panel to take strict action against him.

In a written complaint, SAD spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler said the Union government has set up the commission under the National Commission of Minorities Act, 1992, to "safeguard and protect the interests of minorities as provided in the Constitution of India and laws enacted by Parliament and the state legislatures".

Noting that Lalpura was re-appointed as the panel's Chairman on April 13, 2022, by the Central government, Kler said that he was appointed under a statute and believed to work towards the betterment of minorities without involving himself in the political activities of a particular party.

He said he brought to the notice of the EC that Lalpura is involved in the activities of the BJP and is present when leaders from other parties join it. He said last week, Lalpura was also present at the head office of the BJP when Congress MP Preneet Kaur joined it.