EC reduces campaigning ban on Himanta Biswa from 48 to 24 hours

April 3: Election Commission of India (ECI) reduced the period of debarment on campaigning imposed on Himanta Biswa Sarma from 48 to 24 hours. He was on Friday initially barred from campaigning related activities till April 4 for allegedly making threatening remarks against Bodoland People’s Front chief Hagrama Mohilary.

In his representation to the Election Commission, Sarma had pleaded to reduce the ban on the grounds that he is himself a candidate in the constituency which is scheduled to go for polls on April 6.

Soon after  the Election Commission on Saturday in a fresh order gave relief to BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma by reducing his ban from campaigning in Assam assembly polls to 24 hours, the Congress slammed the poll panel describing it as a dark day in parliamentary democracy. The party said that the poll body does not have the guts to sustain its own order.