Congress candidate from Dhekiajuli, Batash Orang under scanner over ‘discrepancies’ in election affidavit

The nomination process in the 65-Dhekiajuli Assembly constituency has come under sharp scrutiny after a formal objection was lodged against the affidavit of Congress candidate Batash Orang, alleging multiple discrepancies and misrepresentation of facts in his election filings.

A written complaint submitted to the Returning Officer has raised serious concerns over the accuracy and completeness of Orang’s Form-26 affidavit, a mandatory disclosure document under election rules. The complainant has urged authorities to take cognisance of what are described as “substantive violations” and to reject the candidature.

Among the key allegations is that Orang, fielded by the Indian National Congress, failed to strike off the clause indicating “independent candidate” in Part-A of the affidavit—an omission being termed a procedural violation. The complaint further flags discrepancies in the Permanent Account Number (PAN) details of the candidate, his spouse, and dependents, claiming that the entries do not conform to Income Tax Department norms.

The affidavit has also been challenged over financial disclosures. According to the objection, a bank loan liability has allegedly been listed under assets, raising questions about the correctness of financial declarations. Additionally, the complainant has pointed out that the current market value of a residential RCC building owned by Orang in Keherukhanda village has been marked as “Not Applicable,” which is being cited as a misrepresentation.

Further inconsistencies have been alleged in Part-B of the affidavit, where Orang is accused of failing to provide approximate market values of self-acquired and inherited immovable assets, despite declaring ownership elsewhere in the document. The complaint argues that such contradictions undermine the transparency mandated in election disclosures.

The matter now rests with the Returning Officer, who is expected to examine the allegations in detail and determine whether the discrepancies warrant rejection of the nomination.