FIR against Assam Jatiya Parishad’s Kunki Chowdhury over MCC violation at polling booth

GUWAHATI: A case has been registered against opposition alliance candidate Kunki Chowdhury and one of her party workers for allegedly violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) rules on polling day.

Kunki (27) is the youngest candidate this election and was fielded by Congress ally Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) from the Guwahati Central constituency against BJP’s Vijay Kumar Gupta.

The FIR was lodged by one Naba Kumar Lahkar (38) of Rehabari, alleging certain “grave and unlawful activities” by Kunki and her party worker Sandeep Yadav at a polling booth in Guwahati Central constituency, “which directly undermine the sanctity of free and fair elections”.

The complainant said Sandeep, who was required to leave the constituency at least 48 hours prior to polling in compliance with election regulations, deliberately remained present and “actively, participated in election-related activities, thereby violating statutory election restrictions.”

“On the day of Polling, Kunki herself was physically present inside a polling station at Panbazar HS School, accompanied by approximately 5-6 Individuals without lawful authority, and was seen interacting with voters in a manner intended to influence their voting decisions, which amounts to undue influence and interference with the electoral process,” the complainant stated in the FIR.

He added that Kunki parked two of her vehicles inside the zone of the polling station, which is prohibited under election guidelines and creates an environment of intimidation and undue presence. “Her personal security officer was also present within the polling premises without any lawful justification relating to polling duty,” he said.

Lahkar alleged that Kunki was seen moving door-to-door and engaging with voters during the prohibited period, which clearly constitutes campaigning during the silence period, a serious violation of election laws.

He said Kunki’s acts were not mere MCC violations, but disclose cognizable offences, including undue influence during elections, interference with free exercise of electoral rights, violation of lawful election prohibitions and orders and possible criminal intimidation by presence and conduct.

Panbazar police station OC Sankar Jyoti Nath said a case has been registered based on the FIR under the charges of ‘undue influence or personation at an election’ and ‘disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant’ under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and relevant charges of Representation of People Act, 1950, 1951 and 1989.
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