The main dispute between Barbhuiya and Laskar is rooted in the 2021 election of Barbhuiya from the Sonai Legislative Assembly constituency. Laskar, then part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had lost to him in that election.
Later, based on information obtained under the Right to Information Act (RTI Act), Laskar filed an election petition challenging Barbhuiya’s election.
The plea alleged discrepancies in the educational qualifications stated in the AIUDF leader’s election affidavit.
Barbhuiya was said to have submitted in an election affidavit that he graduated from the Choudhury Charan Singh University in Meerut in 2019. However, the State education board stated that there was no record of him having passed the class 12 examination. The Election Commission still let him contest the polls.
Laskar later moved the High Court with an election petition challenging the move.
On April 26 last year, the Gauhati High Court rejected an application by Barbhuiya to dismiss Laskar’s election petition, prompting the AIUDF leader to approach the top court for relief.
The Supreme Court issued notice in the matter in May 2023, while staying the High Court proceedings.
On April 8 this year, it eventually ruled in Barbhuiya’s favour, on finding that the allegations against him were bald and vague.
Source: Barandbench
