Guwahati: Phidalia Toi, the chief of the Meghalaya State Commission for Women has received a show-cause notice from the Election Commission after she was caught on camera attending a rally for a candidate from the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and allegedly breaking the regulations.
The returning officer of the Jowai assembly constituency has given Toi a show-cause notice and requested clarification from her within two days, according to Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor.
A women’s commission chairman is considered to be a government employee under Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code, and according to the Meghalaya Service (Conduct) Rules 2019, they are not allowed to be affiliated with any political party or organisation having a political agenda. On the day of his filing of papers last week, Toi was seen in a video following Jowai NPP candidate Wailadmiki Shylla as he attended a rally.
“You are to show cause as to why action should not be proposed to be taken against you for this violation of the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) Rules 2019,” the letter issued to the state women’s commission chief said.
“Your participation has given room for suspicion that you are favouring the said candidate… Such actions are prejudicial to the neutrality expected of a government employee,” the returning officer stated in the letter sent on Monday.
Despite numerous attempts by PTI to contact Toi or the NPP candidate, neither was available for comment.
A delegation from the Congress met with the CEO in the interim and requested sanctions against the candidate and Toi.
The Congress highlighted a ruling by the Allahabad High Court that declared Indira Gandhi ineligible to run for office in 1970 when it was discovered that she had received help from an official named Yashpal Kapur.
“The precedence demonstrates that the candidature of Wailadmiki Shylla needs to be disqualified as Ms Phidalia Toi has abused her office by campaigning for Mr Wailadmiki Shylla,” the Congress said in a letter to Kharkongor.
The team also expressed dissatisfaction with the “defacing” of Shillong by political posters of JP Nadda, Amit Shah, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kharkongor notified Congress that after conducting a thorough investigation, appropriate action would be taken in both cases.