SHILLONG: A video of Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar that has gone viral on social media shows the NPP leader preventing voters who are not in favour of his candidate from exercising their franchise at a polling station in West Jaintia Hills on Wednesday.
“Those who are against my candidates should not be in the queue and should leave the polling station,” Dhar is seen in the video telling a section of voters at Ummulong polling station.
Attempts were made to contact the minister but his phone was switched off.
When contacted, Jaintia Hills police said they have not seen the video though they have heard about it.
Preventing voters from exercising their franchise is an electoral offence and it will be the deputy commissioner’s prerogative to inform police and give them instruction to investigate the matter.
The model code of conduct for district council elections says all political parties and candidates should “cooperate with the officers on election duty to ensure peaceful and orderly polling and complete freedom to the voters to exercise their franchise without being subjected to any annoyance or obstruction”.
Attempts were made to contact West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Garod LSN Dykes, but he did not respond to the phone calls.
Meanwhile, another poll-related incident was reported in East Jaintia Hills when three persons — Rising Shylla, Stanly Shylla and Archilus Shylla — lodged a joint complaint that around 10 pm on February 26, eight persons attacked them near Sacred Heart School, Byndihati, when they were returning home.
The accused have been identified as Dapmain Shylla, Ravi Nongtdu, Will Shylla, Arki Sympli, Brito Pala, Rima Nongtdu, Laski Lapasam and Amus Nongtdu. They also allegedly threatened the complainants with dire consequences if they attempted to cast their vote at Byndihati polling station on February 27.
