New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS): The Election Commission (EC) of India on Thursday said BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma were barred from campaigning in the run-up to the Delhi assembly polls for 72 hours and 96 hours respectively.

As per the EC orders on Thursday, its earlier order to remove the two leaders' names from the list of BJP star campaigners ahead of the February 8 polls with immediate effect shall also remain in force.

The ban, effective from 5 p.m. on Thursday, comes in the wake of inflammatory statements by Union Minister of State Anurag Thakur and Member of Parliament Parvesh Verma during the course of campaigning.

The orders were issued after the commission studied their responses to show-cause notices issued to them on January 28. The EC refused to consider their requests for personal hearing on the matter.

The Delhi Election Office on Tuesday submitted its report to the Election Commission on their alleged violation of the model code of conduct, referring to Verma's remarks on Shaheen Bagh and his tweet regarding religious places, besides Thakur's alleged "Shoot the traitors" poll slogan at a rally.

Verma had claimed that mosques and graveyards have come up on over 500 government properties in the capital, including hospitals and schools. He said the land where these "illegal structures" have come up belongs to the Delhi Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Jal Board and many other government agencies.