EC orders FIR against Babul Supriyo; SP gives Varanasi ticket to ex-BSF man

Even as nine states across the country went to polls in the fourth phase of the 2019 general elections on April 29, the day saw prominent leaders file their nominations to Lok Sabha seats. It was also a day when the election commission took erring candidates like TMC’s Babul Supriyo and BJP’s Maneka Gandhi to task. A glance through the latest election-related updates from various states for the day:

Bihar

The Election Commission issued notice to Union minister and Begusarai’s (Bihar) BJP candidate Giriraj Singh for a speech delivered on April 24 in GD College, Begusarai. Giriraj Singh had reportedly said, “Who don’t say Vande Mataram, can’t worship motherland. My father and grandfather died by banks of Ganga and did not need a grave. But you need three-arm’s-length of land. If you don’t do it, the country will never forgive you.’

Rajasthan

The chief electoral officer of Rajasthan has sought a report after some voters in Jodhpur levelled charges of bogus voting, alleging that their votes had already been cast and when inquired they were told that nothing can be done now.

West Bengal

The Election Commission has directed the West Bengal police to file an FIR against Union minister and BJP candidate from Asansol Lok Sabha seat Babul Supriyo, for allegedly trespassing into booth number 199 and threatening a polling agent and an officer.

Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that 40 Trinamool Congress MLAs are in contact with him, TMC MP Derek O’Brien tweeted, “Expiry Babu  PM, let’s get this straight. Nobody will go with you. Not even one councillor. Are you election campaigning or horse trading! Your expiry date is near. Today, we are complaining to the Election Commission. Charging you with horse trading”

Odisha

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has written to the chief electoral officer of Odisha over alleged “booth capturing by the BJP”. The letter states that BJP goons conducted booth capturing in 12 booths of Bari assembly constituency under Jajpur parliamentary constituency while the polling was underway on April 29.

Delhi

The Supreme Court sought the response of the Election Commission and the Centre over a plea seeking decriminalisation of complaints related to EVM malfunctioning.

BJP leader Harish Khurana filed a complaint against Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Tis Hazari Court. The complainant alleged that Sunita Kejriwal has two voter IDs, one from Sahibabad (Ghaziabad) and one from Civil Lines (Chandni Chowk).

Atishi Marlena, AAP leader and East Delhi Lok Sabha candidate, has written to the returning officer, East Delhi constituency regarding “repeated violation of model code of conduct by cricketer and BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir by distributing pamphlets without details such as printer’s name and quantity”.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on April 30 a plea by Congress MP Susmita Dev alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah have been violating the Model Code of Conduct during their poll campaigns.

Bihar

Actor-turned politician and Congress’ candidate for Patna Sahib constituency Shatrughan Sinha filed his nomination on Monday. Earlier this month, Sinha left the BJP to join the Congress.

Uttar Pradesh

Changing its candidate from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, the Samajwadi Party gave the ticket to Tej Bahadur Yadav, the BSF constable who was dismissed from service after he had released a video last year on the poor quality of food served to soldiers. Earlier, SP’s Shalini Yadav had filed her nomination from Varanasi.

Election Commission in a letter to Union minister Maneka Gandhi “strongly condemned” the statements made by her on April 12 in Sultanpur’s Sarkoda village and “warned” her not to repeat such misconduct in future.

Punjab

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari filed his nomination from the Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency. Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh was present during the filing of nomination.

A complaint has been filed against Bhagwant Mann, sitting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP and candidate from the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency over alleged discrepancies in his nomination affidavit.