Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, on Monday wrote to the State Election Commission (SEC) urging it to "maintain the integrity" of the upcoming two-phase panchayat elections scheduled for May 2 and 7.
The two-page letter from Saikia, who also leads the Congress Legislature Party in the Assembly, refers to actions by the Assam Chief Minister and the local administration that allegedly “contravene” the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and “infringe upon constitutional rights”.
The letter states, “Firstly, it has come to notice that the Hon. Chief Minister of Assam has announced the establishment of new district offices in specific Assembly constituencies during the election period. Such announcements could be perceived as an attempt to influence voters and provide an undue advantage to the ruling party, which is in direct violation of the MCC guidelines.”
It further adds, “Secondly, the Chief Minister has reportedly urged independent candidates to withdraw from the elections. This act infringes upon the constitutional right of every individual to contest elections freely and fairly, as enshrined in our democratic framework.”
Saikia also mentions receiving complaints from several districts where Congress workers and social media activists were allegedly being warned by the police, circle officers and district officials not to campaign.
“One of our social media workers has been arrested by Dhekiajuli Police for campaigning in the Panchayat election. He was called more than once to the Dhekiajuli Police Station... This act is very much against the principle of free and fair elections,” the letter notes.
It also alleges that in districts such as Charaideo, the administration delayed investigating complaints regarding candidate disqualifications, allegedly under political pressure.
Saikia urged the SEC to:
Strictly enforce the Model Code of Conduct to ensure free and fair elections
Issue a notice to the Chief Minister seeking an explanation for his statements
Take appropriate steps to prevent further MCC violations
Issue a general circular advising police and civil officials to act with neutrality
“I trust that the Commission will take prompt and necessary action to address these concerns and maintain the integrity of the Panchayat elections,” the letter concludes.
Saikia’s letter comes a day after senior Congress leader Ripun Bora also accused the SEC of inaction regarding threats and intimidation faced by Congress workers and candidates. Bora alleged that the BJP was resorting to such tactics due to declining public support.
Over the past week, both the BJP and the Congress have been engaged in a war of words. The BJP has accused the Congress of selling party tickets for cash and being mired in internal conflicts.
Congress insiders admit that a “more focused, coordinated and sustained campaign” is needed to perform well in the panchayat polls, seen as critical ahead of the next Assembly elections. The party has been in decline since losing the 2016 state elections.
A total of 6,981 candidates are in the fray after scrutiny, which saw 174 nominations rejected. April 11 was the last date for filing nominations, and candidates can withdraw their names until April 17. The results will be declared on May 11.
An estimated 1.8 crore voters—13.27% higher than in 2018—will cast their votes across 25,007 polling stations. The elections will decide 21,920 gram panchayat members, 2,192 GP presidents, 2,192 GP vice-presidents, 2,192 anchalik panchayat members, 181 AP presidents, 181 AP vice-presidents, and 397 zila parishad members.