SHILLONG: A presiding officer on the instruction of the returning officer of Shillong parliamentary constituency has jointly filed an FIR against BJP candidate Sanbor Shullai for misconduct inside a polling station during voting on Thursday.
Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said after reports of Shullai misbehaving with the presiding officer and giving a speech inside the polling booth 17-Kench’s Trace A came to light, the Election Commission asked the returning officer to ascertain the case.
Based on the report of the returning officer, an FIR was filed under Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act for misconduct inside polling station.
Kharkongor said “there was a communication gap” and candidates were not supposed to hold press conference inside polling stations and their conduct was expected to be in order and peaceful.
The incident was reported after Shullai spoke to media persons inside the polling station.
Special SP (CID) R Muthu said it was a cognizable offence and the matter would be investigated.
Since media persons were present in the polling booth, Muthu said there were certain guidelines for the media to cover the polls and these aspects were overlooked.
Informing that it was a bailable offence, he said under the Act, “if a person is found to be guilty, he can be sentenced to imprisonment for three months or fine or both”.
An election official said candidates “cannot give interview in the no-campaign zone, which is 100 meter perimeter of polling stations on voting day”.
Shullai highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s contribution when he spoke to media persons.
‘You betray Sanbor’
Shullai came to the polling station close to Sankardev College around 12.15 pm when voting was on and greeted voters standing in the queue. He was accompanied by nephew and former MDC Ricky Shullai and supporters.
The BJP legislator then went to the room where the presiding officer, Bashan Desmond Marbaniang Diengdoh, was working and started speaking to the media. When the official reminded him about the election code and asked him to step out, Shullai shouted at him saying, “You betray Sanbor. You betray Sanbor.”
The MLA walked out of the booth in a huff followed by his supporters and media persons.
Later, the BJP leader pushed the polling official when he tried to stop him from speaking to the media in front of the polling station. Diengdoh, who was taken aback by such outburst, went back to his desk inside the booth while the MLA continued with his campaign.
The police personnel present at the booth did not act.
There was no video recording of the incident or CCTV footage. When asked, Kharkongor said it was unexpected and so no precautions were taken.
The assistant returning officer and the SP reached the place after the incident.
