The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Monday submitted a memorandum to Election Commission asking the poll panel to stop the BJP from publishing ‘unwanted and immoral’ advertisements in newspapers.
The newly-floated party’s demand comes after the BJP on Sunday published an advertisement in a news report format in Assam’s six leading daily newspapers claiming that the saffron party is winning all the constituencies in the upper Assam.
“…advertisements published by BJP which appear in almost all the newspapers in the state, both vernaculars and in other languages, carry the news that BJP has won all the scats which went to poll in the state of Assam on 27th March 2021.
“In view of the fact that two more phases of the election to the state assembly, 2021 are still to take place scheduled on 1st and 6th of April next, results of which will be officially declared on 2nd May 2021 as notified by ECI.
“But we apprehend that such advertisements published by BJP in the garb of news are intended to influence the voters who are yet to vote in the next two phases,” the memorandum read.
The AJP asked the ECI to intervene on the matter immediately and stop BJP from publishing such ‘unwanted and immoral’ advertisements.
The party also requested the CEO, Assam to examine if the advertisements have amounted to an exit poll of a political party.
Earlier on Sunday, Congress submitted a memorandum to the poll panel seeking action against BJP and six newspapers of Assam for publishing the advertisement.
The Assam Congress alleged that the “advertisement with the BJP symbol” has been published in the six newspapers in a news report format to influence voters in the remaining two phases of voting.
An estimated 79.93 per cent of the total 81.09 lakh voters exercised their franchise in 47 assembly constituencies during phase I of the Assam Assembly election on Saturday.
Elections to 39 seats will be held in the second phase on April 1 and 40 in the third and final phase on April 6.
Congress demanded that till the conclusion of polling in all three phases, circulation of news items/advertisements must be stopped for publication in all types of media, including electronic and social media, to ensure the conduct of elections in a free and fair manner.