Guwahati
The Election Commission on Wednesday warned Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and cautioned him to be more careful and exercise restraint in future and strictly follow the provisions of Model Code of Conduct (MCC), while making public utterances.
The EC's warning came a day after the CM sought 'unconditional apology' in case of any inadvertent commission or omission of any provision of MCC' in response to the poll panel's show cause notice over his alleged violation during campaigning for the October 30 Assembly by-elections, following a complaint from the Congress.
EC Secretary NT Bhutia in an order said that in his reply on Tuesday, the CM denied the allegations on the ground that all announcements for various development works and also announcement for giving financial assistance to self-help groups of tea garden workers are either ongoing projects or had already been announced by the state government in the budget speeches of 2020-21 and 2021-22 in the state Assembly.
BJP should apologise: Cong
New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday said the Election Commission should have given a far more stern punishment to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for violating the model code and demanded that the BJP should apologise to the people of the state.
"Assam CM, Sh. Himanta Biswa Sarma indicted for poll code violation, tenders unconditional apology, warned by ECI. Shameful and illegal attempts to influence voters exposed," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.
"EC should have given a far more stern punishment. The BJP should now apologise to people of Assam," he also said.
