EC censures Assam CM for poll code violation

New Delhi, Nov 8 : The Election Commission today censured Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during campaigning for the Assembly by-elections to the Dhekiajuli and South Salmara Assembly constituencies under Sonitpur and Dhubri districts respectively.

The EC had advised him to be "careful in future".

The EC order came after a complaint was made to it that Mr Gogoi, while campaigning in Dhekiajuli constituency in the state on November 3, had made promises to the electorate that if the candidate of his party won, he would provide a special package for the all-round development of the constituency.

It was also alleged that Mr Gogoi had promised to fulfill the demand for making Dhekiajuli a sub-division and build a library in the name of martyrs of the movement Mangal Kurku and Dayaldas Panika, who sacrificed their lives for creation of the sub division.

Subsequently, the EC issued a notice to Mr Gogoi on November 6, giving an opportunity to submit his explanation for alleged violation of the provision of the MCC.

The Chief Minsiter had sent his reply to the notice on the very next day on November 7th in which he mentioned that development of backward and border areas of the state, under which Dhekiajuli falls, had been of special priority under the declared policy of the Assam Government, an EC release said.

The Commission was, however, not satisfied with the Mr Gogoi reply as the Commission has received the video clippings of those election speeches and came to the conclusion that Mr Gogoi made election promises to the electorate.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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