Tripura: CPIM Approaches Election Commission Alleging Model Code Violation by BJP
Representational Image. Image Courtesy: PTI
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM), one of the opposition parties in Tripura, have lodged an official complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) violated the model code of conduct during the ongoing by-election campaign.
As per CPIM, BJP's actions are not in line with the model code of conduct.
The by-elections are going to be held in two Assembly constituencies, Dhanpur and Boxanagar.
CPIM state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said that election officials stopped their procession when they were approaching the election office to file nominations. They were told that the processions couldn't be allowed as it was a restricted area. However, as per Chaudhury, several BJP leaders addressed a gathering inside the restricted area, and no election official stopped them.
"We have reasons to apprehend that if the election authority fails to enforce their command on the violators, that would be detrimental to vitiate the entire process," Chaudhur wrote to Chief Electoral Officer Puneet Agarwal. He added that despite them sharing information with the District Election Officer (DEO), nothing was done to stop top BJP leaders and ministers, including the Chief Minister, from using the dais installed in the restricted area.
In the same complaint, Chaudhary also alleged that the DEO has failed to comply with their complaint related to removing existing publicity material from the Assembly constituencies. The complaint says that after the declaration of the election schedule, CPIM had requested the DEO to remove "all publicity material containing achievements of the BJP government from the poll-bound districts as per rule, but till now, these have been visible extensively."
"It is unfortunate that the ruling party, the BJP, should have been responsible and respectful to the adherence to the election code and are willfully violating it to garner electoral benefits," Chaudhary added.
BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee declined to respond to these specific allegations. However, he said that the opposition parties got nervous when they saw thousands of people joining nomination-failing rallies.
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