Show Cause Notice Issued to School Headmaster for Political Meeting Violation

Political Meeting at School Premises Sparks Controversy

Guwahati, March 31: The District Election Officer for the Kamrup Metropolitan district has served a show cause notice to the headmaster of Rupnagar Vidyapeeth M.E. School. This action follows allegations that a political meeting was conducted on school grounds, breaching the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The notice indicates that a gathering took place on March 30, organized in support of the BJP candidate for the Guwahati Central constituency.

It highlights that utilizing educational facilities for political purposes during the enforcement of the MCC is a significant infringement of the Election Commission's regulations.

“Reports on social media have brought to attention that a political meeting was held at Rupnagar Vidyapeeth M.E. School on March 30, allegedly at the request of a BJP candidate,” the notice stated.

“This action is a serious breach of the guidelines outlined in the Compendium of Instructions on the Model Code of Conduct, particularly Rule 7(c), which prohibits the use of educational institutions and their grounds for political campaigns and rallies,” it further explained.

The notice stressed that enabling such an event constitutes gross misconduct and a punishable offense under electoral laws and ECI guidelines, especially considering the headmaster's role as a government employee obligated to uphold service conduct rules and maintain political neutrality.

The headmaster is required to respond within 24 hours of receiving the notice, providing clarification on whether the meeting occurred, the conditions under which the premises were utilized, and the individuals responsible for organizing the event.

“You are hereby requested to explain why disciplinary and legal actions should not be initiated against you for this serious breach of the Model Code of Conduct guidelines,” the notice concluded.

“Failure to respond within the specified timeframe will be interpreted as an admission of the charges, leading to further actions being taken without additional notice,” it cautioned.