Guwahati: Ahead of the first phase elections in the state, BJP Assam Pradesh has lodged a complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner through the Assam chief electoral officer here on Monday seeking “immediate and appropriate” action against the Indian National Congress for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines by way of distribution of “five guarantee/ Congress guarantee cards” in the city on Sunday.
Notably, the Assam Congress on Sunday launched house-to-house distribution of its ‘guarantee card’ in Guwahati. Congress general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh launched the programme as several leaders and workers of the party visited houses in the Panjabari area of the city to distribute the cards.
The ‘Congress Guarantee Card’ mentions the promises made by the party in its manifesto. All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge had launched the initiative in New Delhi on April 3.
“The MCC guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India clearly specifies that no political party can overlook the undesirable impact of the promises and offers made by it on the conduct of free and fair election and maintaining level playing field for all political parties and candidates,” BJP Assam general secretary Diplu Ranjan Sarma stated in the complaint to the CEC.
“However, in total disregard of the guidelines, the Indian National Congress organised a meeting on April 7, 2024, at Panjabari, Guwahati, wherein the party functionaries and leaders, namely – Jitendra Singh, general secretary, INC; Bhupen Borah, APCC president; Zakir Hussain Sikdar, working president, APCC, etc. had openly distributed “Five Guarantees Card”/”Congress Guarantee Card”, promising, inter-alia, Rs 1 lakh to every educated youth in the first year and payment of Rs 1 lakh per year to one female of each poor family,” Sarma stated in the complaint to the CEC through the CEO, Assam.
“Most importantly, in the said election meeting the Congress party and its leaders made those promises without even disclosing the source of funds wherefrom these promises will be fulfilled,” the BJP leader said.
“The MCC further specifies that all parties and candidates shall scrupulously avoid all activities which are corrupt practices and offences under the Election Law such as inducement of voters,” he stated.
The Assam BJP general secretary further stated that the promises as mentioned in the guarantee cards by the Indian National Congress and its leaders were made only with the intention to influence and induce the voters, which is in blatant violation of the MCC guidelines, the Provisions of the Representations of the Peoples Act, 1951 and the law settled by the Supreme Court.
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“As such, it is most humbly prayed before your honour to take immediate and appropriate action against the Indian National Congress and the concerned party leaders,” Sarma stated, while urging the Election Commission of India to restrain the INC and their leaders from issuing and distributing guarantee cards or making any such promises which might influence and induce the voters leading to impediment in conducting free and fair elections in the state to the detriment of other opponent political parties in the state.
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