Mumbai: The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Harshvardhan Sapkal on Friday requested the State Election Commission to register a criminal case against State Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar for an alleged breach of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
In a letter addressed to State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare, Sapkal accused the Assembly Speaker of using his constitutional position to intimidate Opposition candidates and utilising government staff for the election campaigns of his relatives.
The controversy pertains to the nomination process for the Municipal Corporation elections in the Colaba constituency (Wards 225, 226, and 227). Rahul Narwekar’s brother Makrand Narwekar, sister Gauravi Shivalkar, and sister-in-law Harshada Narwekar have filed nominations as BJP candidates.
Sapkal alleged that during the filing process around 5:00 PM, Speaker Narwekar was personally present and used police personnel to intimidate Opposition candidates filing nominations to stand in the polls against his family members, obstruct the legal process of submitting nomination forms and pressure the administration to reject or stall Opposition filings.
”For a person holding a high constitutional office to obstruct the electoral process in this manner is a mockery of democracy,” Sapkal stated in his letter.
The state Congress President further alleged a massive misuse of government resources. He claimed that approximately 70 officers and employees from the Speaker’s office were actively participating in the election campaign for Speaker Narwekar’s relatives.
Sapkal has demanded immediate disciplinary action and the registration of cases against these government employees for violating service rules and election protocols.
Expressing concern over the transparency of the upcoming polls, Sapkal urged the State Election Commission to act decisively.
”It is the duty of the Commission to ensure fair, transparent, and fearless elections. Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar is behaving as if he is above the law. By resorting to such high-handedness, he is essentially strangling democracy. The SEC must now demonstrate that it has the backbone to uphold the rule of law in Maharashtra,” the letter read.
He has called for an immediate investigation into the conduct of both the Speaker and the police officials present at the nomination centres.
(IANS)
