SHILLONG, April 10: The returning officer (RO) of the Shillong Parliamentary seat, SC Sadhu has issued a show-cause notice to VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit for his party supporters’ attempt to disrupt the election campaign or meeting organised by the NPP at Jaiaw in the East Khasi Hills district.
In the notice issued on Tuesday, Sadhu sought to know why action should not be taken against the VPP chief under relevant provisions of the model code of conduct.
“Now, therefore giving you an opportunity to be heard, you are hereby directed to show cause on or before April 12,” the RO stated.
According to the notice, Sadhu’s office received a complaint on Tuesday that on the evening of April 8 supporters of the VPP began to disrupt the campaign or meeting of the National People’s Party.
The VPP supporters resorted to sloganeering and thus disrupted the meeting causing it to be cancelled before time, Sadhu said.
The RO cited the MCC guidelines for the political parties and their candidates.
“Political parties and candidates shall ensure that their supporters do not create obstructions in or break up meetings and processions organized by other parties. Workers or sympathizers of one political party shall not create disturbances at public meetings organized by another political party by putting questions orally or in writing or by distributing leaflets of their own party. Processions shall not be taken out by one party along places at which meetings are held by another party. Posters issued by one party shall not be removed by workers of another party,” the notice read.
The VPP supporters disrupted an election meeting of the NPP at Jaiaw Pdeng on Monday evening.
As soon as the NPP meeting started, VPP supporters shouted “Ha U Prah” while moving on their two-wheelers.
They did not allow NPP state working president Hamletson Dohling to speak by continuously chanting “Ha U Prah”.
Angered, the NPP supporters tried to confront the VPP men but the elders and women present at the meeting pacified them. The meeting ended abruptly.
