Use of Tricolour lands Assam Panchayat candidate in trouble

Guwahati, Jan 7 (UNI) An over-zeal for patriotic display has almost cost a Panchayat election candidate in Assam's Hailakandi district his candidature.

A Gaon Panchayat presidential candidate for the local rural body polls, Nekibur Zaman Borbhuyan, had published posters, appealing votes, with the Tricolour printed on it to attract attention of the voters.

But he not only attracted the eye of the voters, but also the ire of the State election commission, with even his candidature in the docks now.

Hailakandi goes polls on January 9, in the third phase of Panchayat elections, with the first and second phases completed on December 31 and January 4. Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner S P Kakati Bora said, ''The matter was brought to our light and we have initiated action.'' Mr Bora, who is also the returning officer for the district, said that the erring candidate had applied for a flag (not the national flag) as his election symbol, but since flag was not included in the list of approved symbols, his request was rejected and he was allotted a symbol from the approved list.

''The candidate had published the posters on his own and has since torn off the controversial posters, bearing the national flag,'' he added.

The DC said the candidate had been already served a notice and a decision on whether to bar him from contesting the polls would be taken depending on the response.

UNI SG PL SP KN1718