EC orders transfer of Sushanta Biswa Sarma ahead of final phase of polling

NEW DELHI: Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday directed the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Assam to transfer Sushanta Biswa from the post of Superintendent of Police (SP).

Sushanta, who is the brother of minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is currently posted as the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Goalpara district.

Voters in Goalpara district will exercise their franchise in the third phase of the Assam Assembly election on April 6.

In an official communication to the State’s Chief Electoral Officer on Friday, the EC ordered the transfer of Sushanta Biswa Sarma from Goalpara “to some suitable post in State headquarters”.

The EC added that Veera Rakesh Reddy shall be posted as Superintendent of Police, Goalpara with immediate effect.

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Earlier, the Commission had banned senior BJP leader and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was barred from campaigning for 48 hours ahead of the third and final phase of assembly polls.

Sarma has been barred for 'threatening' to send political rival Hagrama Mohilary to jail by using the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Sarma has been barred from holding public meetings, public processions, public rallies, roadshows, interviews and public utterances in media.

“…the Commission hereby strongly condemns the impugned statements made by Sh. Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP leader and star campaigner. The Commission, under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and all other powers enabling in this behalf, bars him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows, interviews and public utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) etc. in connection with ongoing elections for 48 hours from immediate effect on 02.04.2021 (Friday),” the election body wrote in its notice.

The 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election is the 15th quinquennial legislative assembly election scheduled to be held in Assam from March 27 to April 6 in three phases, to elect 126 MLAs to the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly.

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