Inner Manipur Congress candidate (left) Dr Bimol Akoijam and BJP candidate Thounaojam Basanta
The BJP's candidate in Inner Manipur constituency has filed a complaint with the returning officer, seeking the cancellation of the Congress candidate's nomination over "substantial defects" in affidavits to the Election Commission. Sources in the Congress candidate's legal team told NDTV they have rectified the errors, and alleged the BJP candidate has given a controversial colour to a small matter.
The Congress candidate, Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, filed his nomination for a "non-existent" assembly constituency when the election is for the Lok Sabha, the BJP candidate Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh said.
"... The respondent (Dr Akoijam) has filed four nomination papers dated March 27, 2024, under Form 26 before the returning officer of the non-existent constituency i.e. 12th Keishamthong assembly constituency, which is not at all a constituency for the election to the house of the people (Lok Sabha)," Mr Singh said in the complaint to the returning officer, adding this violated many sections of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951.
All the four nomination papers filed by Dr Akoijam have the same error, Mr Singh said in the complaint.
"The substantial defect is the name of the non-existent constituency from which election is being contested and for which the nomination papers are being filed, which the candidate has written wrongly in his Form 26 affidavit," Mr Singh, who is also the Manipur Education Minister, said in the complaint to the returning officer.
The correct constituency name should be Inner Manipur, but Dr Akoijam wrote "12th Keishamthong assembly constituency" for the election to the Lok Sabha, Mr Singh said, adding it is "not a mere clerical error".
Manipur BJP sources said Dr Akoijam's intention in mentioning the assembly constituency is not clear, whether he is angling for an assembly seat in future.
Dr Akoijam could not be reached for comments as his phone was switched off. However, his legal team said they have corrected the errors, and will explain the matter shortly.
Manipur has two Lok Sabha seats - Inner Manipur, and Outer Manipur. The entire Inner Manipur constituency and some areas under Outer Manipur will vote on April 19. The remaining areas under Outer Manipur will vote on April 26. Votes will be counted on June 4.