TMC files MCC violation plaint against North Malda BJP candidate

Malda: Trinamool Congress (TMC), Malda has filed a complaint of violation of model code of conduct (MCC) with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against North Malda BJP candidate, Khagen Murmu, for making false allegations against TMC candidate in North Malda, Prasun Banerjee.

Murmu during a Press conference on Wednesday claimed that district BJP has filed a complaint with the ECI against at least 10 police officials for meeting with Prasun Banerjee, TMC candidate of North Malda in a private hotel. Murmu also alleged that many district administrative officials are also working like TMC activists. On Wednesday, district Trinamool filed a complaint against Murmu for making unsubstantiated allegations, breach of MCC and illegalities with the ECI. It has further been claimed that no such meeting of Prasun Banerjee, as alleged by Murmu, has ever taken place and this remark was made by the BJP candidate to harass Banerjee and mislead the voters.

Banerjee said: “Mr Murmu’s statement which is false and based on unverified facts amounts to commission of offence under Section 171-G of the Indian Penal Code. Further, such conduct also falls foul of the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the rules framed and the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).”

The complaint further stated that the MCC for political parties and candidates as framed by the ECI under Article 324 of the Constitution of India also condemns the ‘criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or on distortion’. Further, the advisory to political parties issued by ECI on March 1, 2024 provides that making of ‘false statements, utterances without factual basis aimed at misleading the voters’ and ‘low level personal attacks to insult the rivals’ amounts to a violation of the MCC and appropriate stern action will be taken against candidates for such breaches.