EC show cause notice to S Tura candidate for 'Hate Speech'

The Election Commission has issued a show cause notice to John Leslee K Sangma, an independent candidate in Meghalaya, for an alleged hate speech he made during campaigning, ahead of the August 23 bye-elections to South Tura seat, an election official said.

The Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, Ram Singh, confirmed that the notice had been served to the candidate yesterday though a reply from the former legislator is still awaited.

He was asked to reply to the show cause notice by today noon.

The National Peoples Party (NPP) general secretary Mathias N Marak in his complaint to the Returning Officer had accused John Leslee K Sangma of making a hate speech against former legislator Agatha Sangma and her late father, P A Sangma, at a meeting at Nikrang Ading locality on August 7.

As per the complaint, the "inflammatory" speech was intended to hurt the religious sentiments of the people.

According to the complainant, the meeting held between 8pm and 10 pm on August 7 was held without the permission from the Returning Officer and was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The notice referred to a Supreme Court ruling that religion and caste cannot be used by anyone while making any statement during electioneering or otherwise.