New Delhi, May 8: The Election Commission today gave the BJP seven days to publicly condemn a Muslim-bashing CD linked to it while continuing to hold the sword of de-recognition over the party’s head.

The poll panel said it reserved the right to decide whether to cancel the party’s recognition over the CD, distributed in Uttar Pradesh in the run-up to the Assembly polls that drew to a close today.

The BJP must widely publicise an unreserved condemnation of the CD, “both in the print and electronic media, at the national level as well as at the local level, particularly in the state of Uttar Pradesh”, the commission’s 21-page order said. The party must file a compliance report by May 15.

The poll panel said the statements by senior BJP leaders on the CD controversy, as reported in the media, were confusing. It said L.K. Advani, Kalyan Singh and Lalji Tandon had been quoted as saying there was nothing offensive in the CD.

“Certainly, this has created a doubt — a genuine doubt — in the minds of the general public whether (the) BJP has disowned the CD and condemned its contents or (whether it) stands by its (the CD’s) comments.”

The communally sensitive CD was released at a news conference held by Tandon in Lucknow. It led to widespread calls for the BJP’s de-recognition.

The party had distanced itself from it before the commission, saying the CD had been put inside a campaign kit bag by a functionary who had since been expelled.

But the commission said the state police were investigating whether the BJP leadership, “at the national or state level”, was involved in the “production, distribution and dissemination of the CD”.

“The commission reserves its right to take further action against the party after the completion of those investigations.”

The poll panel said it would review the progress of the case from time to time for “appropriate action”.

The BJP, however, has cited a 1983 case in which the apex court had held that the commission cannot assume the power to disqualify parties.

Another argument the BJP has offered is that the panel members are political appointees, and de-recognition of a party by them goes against India’s system of multiparty democracy.