The Congress on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission seeking cancellation of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s candidature from Jalukbari constituency, alleging that he “deliberately suppressed” information about his wife’s purported offshore assets in his election affidavit.
The complaint comes a day after the Opposition party claimed that Sarma’s wife owns property in Dubai and companies in the US, which were not disclosed in his poll affidavit.
In a representation to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Congress candidate from Jalukbari Bidisha Neog sought a probe into the alleged concealment of such information.
“The said affidavit does not disclose any offshore or foreign assets despite explicit statutory instructions in Form 26. Documentary evidence from the Dubai Land Department establishes that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the spouse of the candidate, is the owner/beneficial holder of two valuable properties in Al Barsha South Fourth, Dubai, UAE,” Neog alleged in her complaint.
She mentioned two properties allegedly owned by Sarma’s wife and said the “deliberate non-disclosure” violates the mandatory requirements, and it renders the nomination liable to rejection.
“An immediate inquiry be conducted into the suppression of offshore assets, the nomination of Himanta Biswa Sarma be rejected in accordance with Section 36 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and appropriate proceedings under Section 125A be initiated,” the Congress candidate demanded.
The Congress also filed a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate, urging it to register a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, for allegedly operating undisclosed assets in Dubai and Wyoming in the US by the Assam Chief Minister’s wife.
Cong urges EC to cancel Assam CM’s candidature over non-disclosure of his wife’s foreign assets in poll affidavit
