GUWAHATI: The election officer of
Imphal East district
in Manipur has instructed the police to take “legal action” against an Independent candidate running for the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat for allegedly violating the election model code of conduct by threatening to kill chief minister N Biren Singh during a live TV discussion on April 2.
The election officer,
Khumanthem Diana
, who is also the district deputy commissioner, in a letter to the
Imphal West SP
on Tuesday said the actions of candidate
Moirangthem Totomsana Nongshaba
breach the model code of conduct and amounts to a personal attack.
“Moirangthem Totomsana Nongshaba made a derogatory statement against chief minister of Manipur by violating the provisions of the model code of conduct. He even threatened the chief minister with physical harm by telling that he will kill him whenever he gets a chance, which amounts to an attack on the personal life of a person,” the officer wrote in the letter, seeking an action-taken report by April 5.
The officer said the Election Commission has been issuing advisories to maintain high standards while carrying out poll campaigns.
“However, such a highly inflammatory and intimidating speech made by a contesting candidate has the effect of promoting feelings of enmity, hatred, and creating disharmony among different political functionaries, which may ultimately vitiate the various initiatives and efforts being put in by the Election Commission of India to conduct a peaceful election,” the officer said. He further urged the police to take legal action against Nongshaba under the provisions of the IPC. The state unit of the BJP has also criticized Totomsana’s statement.