Silchar Civic Polls: Ward 16 Candidate Questions Miya Khan’s Graduation Certificate, Threatens High Court Action

An independent candidate from Ward 16 of the Silchar Municipal Corporation has raised questions over the educational qualification certificate submitted by rival candidate Miya Khan, alleging discrepancies in the document.

Addressing the media during Monday’s (September 14) scrutiny of nomination papers, advocate Jasim Uddin Laskar said he had raised an objection regarding Khan’s educational documents. Laskar claimed that Khan’s certificate shows that he graduated from Capital University, Jharkhand, in 2022, but alleged that the document contains spelling errors in both the university’s name and the word “division”.

Laskar also questioned the migration certificate submitted by Khan. According to Laskar, the migration certificate was issued around eight to nine months before the date mentioned for Khan’s graduation. He questioned how a migration certificate could have been issued before the completion of the graduation process.

Despite the objections, Laskar claimed that Khan cleared the scrutiny process. He questioned whether the Returning Officer had the authority to conduct a detailed verification of the authenticity of the educational documents.

Laskar, who is himself an advocate, said he would pursue the matter through legal channels. He said he would raise a formal complaint and, if necessary, approach the Gauhati High Court with a petition challenging the matter.

He also appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to strengthen the rules governing educational qualification requirements for municipal elections. Laskar alleged that the graduation requirement for the election was being taken lightly.

He further questioned why several candidates were submitting educational certificates from universities in other states, saying it could create an impression that people do not have confidence in educational institutions in Assam.

The allegations raised by Laskar have not been independently verified. The authenticity and validity of Miya Khan’s educational documents would need to be established through the competent authorities and the concerned university.