The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to disqualify Trinamool Congress candidates of Basirhat and Kolkata Dakshin Lok Sabha seats for alleged nomination procedure violations.
At a press meet, BJP state general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay claimed that while TMC’s Basirhat candidate Haji Nurul Islam failed to file his ‘No Dues Certificate’ during the submission of papers, he accused Trinamool’s Mala Roy of continuing to hold the post of chairperson of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) despite being nominated by the party.
Chattopadhyay was accompanied by Basirhat BJP nominee Rekha Patra.
Under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, candidates must submit a ‘No Dues Certificate’ before the nomination deadline if they have occupied government accommodation in the past ten years.
Chattopadhyay argued that Roy’s failure to resign from the KMC chairperson’s seat before entering the election constitutes holding an ‘Office of Profit’, a violation of election regulations.
Meanwhile, Roy defended herself, saying her KMC post is honorary and doesn’t entail a salary.
Roy also criticised the BJP for raising the issue now, claiming it wasn’t brought up during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
She argued that her KMC position doesn’t fall under the ‘Office of Profit’ category, showcasing what she perceives as BJP’s misunderstanding of the Constitution and election laws.
“Sensing sure defeat, BJP is making false charges as I am holding a honorary post,” she said.
“BJP did not raise this issue in 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the EC had okayed my candidature. Suddenly, they have woken up and giving a false twist to my KMC post which does not come under the ‘Office for Profit’ clause. This shows their ignorance of the Constitution and poll regulations,” she added.
Islam, campaigning in North 24 Parganas district, refuted the charges, asserting he had no pending dues and had previously declared this in affidavits filed during previous elections.
“Sensing defeat after their Sandeshkhali plot backfired, BJP has made their candidate Rekha Patra make the flimsy appeal to the EC. It will not be able to cut much ice,” he added.
Chattopadhyay’s call for disqualification mirrors the recent case of former IPS officer Debashish Dhar, whose candidature in Birbhum was disqualified for failing to provide a ‘no dues’ certificate.
Elections in Basirhat and Kolkata Dakshin are scheduled for the seventh phase on June 1.
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