GUWAHATI: Assam Congress MP and candidate from Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, Pradyut Bordoloi, has filed a complaint against chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with the election commission of India (ECI), alleging a breach of the model code of conduct (MCC) by offering financial incentives to all ration cardholders during the ongoing election campaign.
Pradyut Bordoloi lodged the complaint with the chief election commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday (April 09) night, asserting that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had, during a public gathering in Lakhimpur earlier in the day, pledged to deposit Rs 10,000 into the bank accounts of every ration cardholder post-election.
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Characterizing such commitments as a “clear violation” of MCC, the Assam Congress candidate emphasized, “Such assurances are not only morally questionable but also represent an effort to sway voters through financial incentives, thereby undermining the integrity of the electoral process.”
He urged the election commission of India (ECI) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter and take appropriate action against the Assam chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from the Northeast for his alleged transgression.
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Additionally, Assam Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi lodged another grievance with the state’s chief electoral officer (CEO), accusing the BJP of persisting with a contentious socio-economic survey despite being issued a show-cause notice by the CEO on April 06.
“Despite the receipt of a show-cause notice from the CEO on April 06 regarding electoral inducements, the government has continued the distribution of forms for conducting a socio-economic survey, promising to enrol participants under the ‘Orunodoi’ cash direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme,” stated the Assam Congress MP.
Expressing apprehension that similar activities might be underway in other locales, he criticized what he deemed as a flagrant disregard for electoral norms and the exploitation of government programs for electoral advantages.
On April 05, the Assam CEO’s office issued a show-cause notice to the ruling BJP following allegations of MCC violations raised by the CPI-M.
The Left party accused the BJP of gathering data from individuals under the guise of conducting a socio-economic survey, with the purported aim of expanding the beneficiary pool under a government scheme.