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Call for more nomination time to verify candidates� personal data

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 6 - The Election Commission of India should lengthen the nomination period in the elections to verify the personal data provided by those who offer their candidature and thus to finalise the list of the candidates in all elections. This is needed to verify the authenticity of the personal information provided by the aspirants and thus, to eliminate the possibilities of controversies concerning the genuineness of the information.

This opinion was expressed by voluntary organisation Save Guwahati Build Guwahati (SGBG) here today.

Talking to this newspaper, SGBG president Krishno Kanto Borooah, vice president Ajoy Dutta and chief adviser Dhiren Barua said that those who fail to provide correct information should not only be barred from contesting elections but should also be subjected to exemplary punishment.

A minimum educational qualification should also be fixed for the aspirants to become eligible to contest any of the Assembly, Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha elections. The candidates should also provide documentary support to their assertions on their personal and family income and assets. Any growth in the income and assets of those candidates and their families who wish to contest the elections more than once, should be explained with supporting documentary evidence. They should also mention in a clear-cut manner the sources of their personal and family income, said the office-bearers of the voluntary organisation.

Moreover, the SGBG office-bearers said those who are facing criminal charges should not be allowed to contest any of the elections, right from the panchayat level, until they are absolved of the charges by a competent court.

They appealed to the voters to examine thoroughly the academic qualifications, honesty and integrity of the candidates contesting the elections at all levels, while casting their votes. The voters should also lay stress on welfare-oriented development-related issues and not on personality cults, while choosing their candidates, said the office-bearers of the voluntary organisation.

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