Election Commission defers Kanubari by-poll

From our Correspondent

ITAGAR, May 15: The Election Commission of India in an order yesterday deferred the by-election to Kanubari Assembly Constituency slated for May 16 next month.

Further the Commission in its order stated that the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct would remain in abeyance until further direction, state Chief Electoral Officer informed in a press release here today.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court a few days back stayed order on the resigtion of MLAs Gabriel D Wangsu and Wanglam Sawin, thus dismissing the probability of the bye-election.

Tony Pertin, the advocate for the petitioners had written to the Chief Election Commissioner to withdraw the notification issued for Kanubari by-election keeping in mind the order passed by the SC.

The Kanubari and Khonsa East Assembly Constituencies fell vacant after MLAs Gabriel Wangsu and Wanglam Sawin resigned.

Their resigtion was accepted by the previous speaker bam Rebia in controversial circumstance. Both Gabriel and Sawin alleged that they were made to resign under duress and had written to the Governor seeking his intervention. They took the matter to court and have been fighting a lengthy court battle. Earlier, in February this year, the Supreme Court had upheld a Gauhati High Court judgment dismissing the plea of Sawin and Gabriel, who had challenged the Speaker’s decision to accept their resigtion.