BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma Gets EC Notice Over Alleged Communal Remarks In Poll-Bound Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh Assembly Election 2023: Election Commission of India has issued show cause notice to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the BJP's election campaign in Chhattisgarh. The complaint in the matter was lodged by the Congress party, which had accused Sarma of making communal statements against  Mohammed Akbar, who is one its MLAs in Chhattisgarh.

Election Commission of India issues show cause notice to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly violating Model Code of Conduct guidelines during the election campaign in Chhattisgarh. Congress had complained about his alleged communal statements against MLA Mohammed Akbar. pic.twitter.com/U64vQ6Upl5

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2023

The MCC is in force in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, the five states where Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled to be held next month. In its complaint, Congress had also claimed that Sarma made allegations against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel regarding religious conversions.

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MCC is a set of guidelines which political parties and candidates have to strictly abide by during election season. It comes into effect on the day the schedule for elections is announced and remains in place till the date of the result announcement.

Its guideline on inflammatory remarks states, "No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic."

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Another guideline under the MCC says, "Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties and Candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided."

(Representative Image. Pic Credits: ANI)

Assembly elections in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh are to be held in two phases - on November 7 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 3.

(With inputs from ANI)