Silchar: The chief election officer (CEO) of Assam on Friday issued a show cause notice to the state’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Bhabesh Kalita over the party’s alleged violation of the model code of conduct (MCC), officials aware of the matter said.
The notice was served based on a complaint filed by the secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Assam unit, who alleged that the ruling party has been distributing forms in their parliamentary constituencies across the northeastern state during their campaign in the name of a socioeconomic survey with the intention of increasing the number of beneficiaries under a government-sponsored scheme.
CPI(M) alleged that the forms which are being distributed have photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma promising people schemes, which is a policy matter of the state government, and in direct violation of the MCC.
The election officer in the notice issued on April 5, wrote, “On the basis of a prima facie scrutiny, it appears that these forms bearing the symbol and photographs of star campaigners of your party are violative of the Model Code of Conduct guidelines; and now, therefore, you are hereby called upon to show cause in writing as to why appropriate action for violation of Model Code of Conduct should not be taken against you.”
The notice seeks a response from the Assam BJP chief before 10am on April 8. “In the event of no response from your side within 72 hours i.e. before 10am of 8th April 2024, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in this matter and this office will take necessary action in the matter without making any further reference to you,” the officer wrote.
{{/usCountry}}The notice seeks a response from the Assam BJP chief before 10am on April 8. “In the event of no response from your side within 72 hours i.e. before 10am of 8th April 2024, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in this matter and this office will take necessary action in the matter without making any further reference to you,” the officer wrote.
{{/usCountry}}There has been no response from the BJP regarding the election officer’s notice yet.
According to the complaint filed with the CEO, the BJP has been distributing forms in the name of a socioeconomic survey with a promise to expand eligible families under the state government’s Orunodoi scheme.
The ‘Orunodoi’ or Arunodoi scheme was launched on 2nd October 2020. Under the scheme, monetary benefits have been envisaged for more than 240,000 poor households in the state.
Under the scheme, the state government promises to deposit Rs.1,250 monthly into the bank account of one woman member of a family from the economically weaker sections of the society.
It is to be noted that CM Sarma, while launching his campaign for the coming Lok Sabha polls in Karimganj on March 18 said that simultaneously with the election campaigns, the BJP will conduct a socioeconomic survey to identify the needs of common people which will be fulfilled by 2026.
Sarma had said the intention behind the socioeconomic survey is to get an actual picture of the development and needs of the commons in Assam.
“We will distribute forms with five points – Requirement of roads, bridges, Arunodaya Cards and other facilities. We will list the names of girl students passing Class 10 this year and we will make sure they continue their studies after this,” Sarma had said.