Probe ordered against Assam CM for poll code violation

Assam Jatiya Party alleged Himanta Biswa Sarma tried to lure voters with sops while campaigning for the Guwahati Municipal Corporation polls.

The Assam State Election Commission has ordered a probe against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly violating the model code of conduct during the campaign for the Guwahati Municipal Corporation polls.

The elections to the 60 wards of the corporation are scheduled on April 22.

The probe was ordered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the regional Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).

“I am directed to forward herewith a copy of the complaint petition dated 18/04/2022 received from Sanjeev Bora, president, AJP, Kamrup (Metro), and request you to kindly enquire into the matter and furnish a report to this Commission at an early date,” the secretary, Assam State Election Commission, wrote in a letter to the deputy commissioner of the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district.

Mr. Bora said the Chief Minister had lured voters with sops while campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mr. Sarma had allegedly said 1,000 people from each ward would be added to the list of beneficiaries of the Orunodoi scheme entailing financial assistance to families and ₹10-crore would be provided to each ward for developmental activities if they voted the BJP candidates to power.

“This is tantamount to a deliberate attempt to interfere with respect to free exercise of electoral rights of voters and an inducement/undue influence to voters within the meaning of Section 123 of the RP Act and Section 171 of the IPC apart from gross violation of the model code of conduct,” Mr. Bora wrote.