NEW DELHI: The Election Commission, which granted relief to BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma after he offered an unconditional apology to the commission and assured that he would abide by the model code of conduct in the future, reduced the period of his disqualification on Saturday from campaigning to 24 hours from 48 hours.
The modified EC order means that Sarma can resume his campaign, including in his own constituency in Assam, during the crucial 24-hour period before the period of silence begins on Sunday afternoon.
The relaxation came after Sarma, aggrieved by the 48-hour ban on holding public meetings, rallies or tours or granting interviews with the media for threatening the president of the Bodoland Popular Front, Hagrama Mohilary, sent a representation to EC on Saturday seeking a modification to its ban order. He asked the voting panel to accept his “sincere regret and assurance of complying with the MCC in the future, and that it is pleased to reduce the exclusion period from the election campaign from 48 hours to 24 hours.”
“… I would like to say humbly that throughout my political career, more particularly during my electoral campaigns, I have not attacked anyone on a personal level and, furthermore, I never violated any rule of the code of modality … Also, in the interaction with the journalist in question (during which the alleged threat to the head of the BPF was made) had not attacked anyone on a personal level, “he said.
“However, if my statements have caused annoyance to someone and also they are contrary to the norms of the model code of conduct in the eyes of ECI, I express in the most sincere and humble way my unconditional regret for causing the same with the security of that I will be more careful and vigilant in the future, ”said Sarma.
The BJP leader also asked for relief with the argument that “if I am restrained from the electoral campaign for 48 hours, it will cause irreparable loss and damage to my political party, as well as myself as a candidate in No. 51 Jalukbari LAC” .
EC, accepting Sarma’s allegation, decided to modify his order and reduce the period of his disqualification from the electoral campaign from 48 hours to 24 hours. “EC was inclined to give relief when Sarma accepted the ban and approached the Commission for relief with an unconditional apology and a guarantee / commitment,” said a senior official.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, EC had allowed a similar relaxation to BJP leader Amit Shah after he was banned from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh for violating the model code. After Shah wrote to EC assuring him that he would not use abusive or derogatory language in the campaign and that he would not make statements that violated the model code, EC modified his order and allowed him to be granted permission to hold public meetings. However, since the leader of the SP, Azam Khan, did not apologize, and later faced a similar ban, he received no relief.
While Sarma chose not to challenge EC’s ban in High Court, DMK recently approached Madras High Court after its leader A Raja was punished with a 48-hour ban for abusing Tamil Nadu’s chief minister, EK. Palaniswamy. However, the Madras High Court declined an urgent plea hearing.
The modified EC order means that Sarma can resume his campaign, including in his own constituency in Assam, during the crucial 24-hour period before the period of silence begins on Sunday afternoon.
The relaxation came after Sarma, aggrieved by the 48-hour ban on holding public meetings, rallies or tours or granting interviews with the media for threatening the president of the Bodoland Popular Front, Hagrama Mohilary, sent a representation to EC on Saturday seeking a modification to its ban order. He asked the voting panel to accept his “sincere regret and assurance of complying with the MCC in the future, and that it is pleased to reduce the exclusion period from the election campaign from 48 hours to 24 hours.”
“… I would like to say humbly that throughout my political career, more particularly during my electoral campaigns, I have not attacked anyone on a personal level and, furthermore, I never violated any rule of the code of modality … Also, in the interaction with the journalist in question (during which the alleged threat to the head of the BPF was made) had not attacked anyone on a personal level, “he said.
“However, if my statements have caused annoyance to someone and also they are contrary to the norms of the model code of conduct in the eyes of ECI, I express in the most sincere and humble way my unconditional regret for causing the same with the security of that I will be more careful and vigilant in the future, ”said Sarma.
The BJP leader also asked for relief with the argument that “if I am restrained from the electoral campaign for 48 hours, it will cause irreparable loss and damage to my political party, as well as myself as a candidate in No. 51 Jalukbari LAC” .
EC, accepting Sarma’s allegation, decided to modify his order and reduce the period of his disqualification from the electoral campaign from 48 hours to 24 hours. “EC was inclined to give relief when Sarma accepted the ban and approached the Commission for relief with an unconditional apology and a guarantee / commitment,” said a senior official.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, EC had allowed a similar relaxation to BJP leader Amit Shah after he was banned from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh for violating the model code. After Shah wrote to EC assuring him that he would not use abusive or derogatory language in the campaign and that he would not make statements that violated the model code, EC modified his order and allowed him to be granted permission to hold public meetings. However, since the leader of the SP, Azam Khan, did not apologize, and later faced a similar ban, he received no relief.
While Sarma chose not to challenge EC’s ban in High Court, DMK recently approached Madras High Court after its leader A Raja was punished with a 48-hour ban for abusing Tamil Nadu’s chief minister, EK. Palaniswamy. However, the Madras High Court declined an urgent plea hearing.
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