Delhi Polls: DM dismisses Rithala Congress Candidate's claims of attack by officials

Congress has accused poll officials of attacking their Rithala candidate, Sushant Mishra, during a campaign march. Mishra claimed that while his team was conducting a foot march (padyatra) with permission, Election Commission (EC) officials arrived and tried to stop the activity without revealing their identities.

“This was a shocking incident. We have filed a complaint with the Election Commission,” Mishra stated. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh called it an “unprecedented and illegal act,” accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of desperation to undermine Congress’s growing support. Ramesh also alleged that the EC officer’s actions reflected partisan behavior, claiming Mishra was targeted for exposing violations of the Model Code of Conduct by other candidates.

Despite the incident, Congress emphasized they would continue their efforts to protect the integrity of the election process.

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DM denies allegations, cites rule violations

Northwest Delhi District Magistrate (DM) denied Congress’s claims, asserting that the Flying Squad Team (FST) and election officials acted fairly and without bias. According to the DM, Congress did not adhere to the campaign rules outlined in their permission.

The permission, as per the DM, was granted for door-to-door canvassing in specific areas until 6:00 PM. However, the Congress team was found campaigning in a different area and beyond the permitted time. When the FST team requested campaign documents, Congress members allegedly failed to provide them, instead discussing the matter among themselves before dispersing.

The DM reiterated that the officials were committed to ensuring a fair election process and that no misconduct occurred during the incident.