Manipur polls: Congress to challenge EC in Supreme Court
Manipur assembly election 2022: On Friday, the Congress accused the northeastern state's ruling BJP of taking help from banned militant organisations for the second phase of the state elections by releasing funds in two instalments for the banned outfit, Kuki National Organisation.
NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that he will file a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission decision which held that the payment of funds by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Manipur government to the banned militant groups under Suspension of Operation didn’t violate the Model Code of Conduct.
On Friday, the Congress party accused the BJP government in Manipur of taking help from banned militant organisations for the second phase of the state elections by releasing funds in two instalments for the banned outfit, Kuki National Organisation. The opposition party alleged that these funds were not released for a long time but now it has been done to influence the polls. The Congress further alleged that the banned Kuki organisation had started intimidating voters to support the BJP.
“Shockingly ECI held large payments to banned militant groups made on 1.1.22 & 1.3.22 by Manipur Govt do not violate Model Code of Conduct. They do & I’m petitioning Supreme Court. Payments were suddenly released during (the) poll period after (a) long gap. It murdered elections in 11 seats!” Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet on Saturday.
On Friday, Ramesh and senior party leader Salman Khurshid met the Election Commission and sought its urgent intervention to ensure a free and fair election in Manipur. The Congress leaders accused the BJP government of releasing ₹15.7 crore on February 1 and ₹92.65 lakh on March 1 to banned militant groups under Suspension of Operation when the Model Code of Conduct was in effect in the state.
The Congress alleged that the president of the banned Kuki National Organisation is “intimidating electors to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party and holding out dire consequences to electors not following the banned organization’s instructions.”
“Despite raising our concern, 6 persons accused in poll violence which led to murder, have been released on bail in the first week of March 2022 in Heirok Constitutency,” Khurshid alleged.
The second phase of Manipur assembly polls was held on Saturday.
