EC cancels candidacy of Lakshmipur-1 independent contestant

Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) has cancelled the candidature of independent candidate Mohammad Habibur Rahman Paban of the Lakshmipur-1 constituency for violating the electoral code of conduct.

A letter to this effect was issued on Tuesday and Abdus Salam, deputy secretary of the Election Commission, signed the letter.

This is the first time a candidacy has been scrapped during the 12th national parliamentary election for “campaign offence”.

In the letter, the EC said that on December 30, Mohammad Habibur Rahman Paban, an independent candidate of Lakshmipur-1 constituency, made indecent, and objectionable remarks about Lakshmipur deputy commissioner and the concerned returning officer through a WhatsApp call.

On December 30, the deputy commissioner and the concerned returning officer sent a letter to the Election Commission secretariat requesting to take legal action against Paban alleging that he threatened to take various measures, including transferring the returning officer and the superintendent of police within three days.

In view of this, a letter was sent to the candidate to appear in person at the Election Commission Secretariat on January 1 to explain the legal action taken against him. Then the said candidate appeared in person at the Election Commission Secretariat on the said date and explained the matter.

Besides, the Election Commission also instructed to investigate the allegation through the Lakshmipur district election officer.

Later, the concerned district election officer investigated the matter and sent an investigation report stating that the incident was true.