The Congress has filed a police criticism towards Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP chief J P Nadda, state president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and eight main newspapers for “camouflaging an advertisement as news” predicting the celebration’s victory in all of the seats in Upper Assam that went to polls within the first section on March 27. The FIR was lodged with Dispur police station on Sunday evening for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), provisions of Section 126A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 and the ECI’s directives issued on March 26, APCC Legal Department Chairman Niran Borah mentioned.
“This is a blatant violation of MCC, Representation of People Act, 1951 and the ECI’s relevant instructions and media policies by BJP leaders and members, who after realising that their defeat is inevitable have resorted to desperate illegal and unconstitutional methods to influence the voters across the state,” he mentioned. “In a pre-planned conspiracy to deceive voters in the second and third phases, CM, BJP national president, state chief and other members of the party have knowingly issued advertisements camouflaged as headlines on front pages of various newspapers claiming that the BJP will win all the constituencies of Upper Assam,” Borah mentioned.
The ads have been offered in a way to “prejudice the mind of the voters and this deliberate, malicious and malafide set of advertisements are in clear violation of Section 126A of the Representation of People Act, 1951, which is punishable by two years of imprisonment and fine”, he mentioned. Moreover, the ECI’s directions, particular to Assam, had prohibited the dissemination of any type of prediction associated to ballot outcomes between 7 am of March 27 until 7.30 pm of April 29, Borah mentioned.
“The publication of large-scale advertisements by the BJP falsely predicting the outcome of the current assembly election in their favour also amounts to direct violation of the instructions,” he mentioned. The APCC additional urged the police to take “prompt and necessary action” towards these named within the criticism, together with the newspapers.
The state Congress had filed a criticism with the Assam Chief Electoral Officer Nitin Khade and the AICC with the Election Commission of India towards the publication of the ads on Sunday urging speedy motion towards the BJP and the newspapers. An official on the CEO’s workplace right here had mentioned on Sunday that the matter will likely be examined by the ECI.
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The main English, Assamese, Hindi and Bengali newspapers which printed the ads embrace The Assam Tribune, Asomiya Pratidin, Aamar Asom, Niyomia Barta, Asomiya Khabor, Dainik Asam, Dainik Jugasankha and Dainik Purvodaya. An estimated 79.93 per cent of the whole 81.09 lakh voters exercised their franchise in 47 meeting constituencies in the course of the first section of polling in Assam on Saturday.
Elections to 39 seats will likely be held within the second section on April 1 and 40 within the third and remaining section on April 6. PTI DG ACD ACD 03291117 NNNN.
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