Bakshi gives clean chit to CM
SHILLONG: The Returning Officer of Tura Parliamentary constituency Pravin Bakshi has given a virtual clean chit to Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma after NPP lodged a poll code violation complaint against the latter for using a government-run chopper service to ferry him to campaign rallies in Garo Hills.
Bakshi, who submitted the action taken report (ATR) to the Chief Electoral Officer P Naik on Thursday, said in his report that helicopter used by Dr Sangma for campaigning in Garo Hills had been hired by the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) after it received a no objection certificate for de-hiring from its regular client — Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC).
The Chief Minister used the chopper for campaigning in different parts of Garo Hills for Congress candidate Daryl William Momin on March 25,27,28,29 and 30.
The Returning Officer said that for the first phase of ( campaigning the helicopter was hired by MPCC on payment through RTGS.
Only after receiving the NOC from the MTC Pawan Hans hired out the chopper to the MPCC, the report said.
In his complaint to the Bakshi, NPP Garo hills district president Semford B Sangma had said, “Using the only Pawan Hans helicopter, which is deployed for public transport by state government and being managed by Meghalaya Transport Corporation, solely for election purposes to ferry the Chief Minister to different meeting venues in Garo hills districts amounts to abuse of power and misuse of government facilities for election campaign.”
Meanwhile, Naik said that he would go through the report before taking any decision.
