Kolkata, March 10 Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said on Tuesday that the primary aim of the election panel is to ensure that all voters in West Bengal participate in the upcoming assembly elections in an atmosphere free from violence and intimidation.
Speaking at a press conference in the city after a series of two-day review meetings on poll preparations in the state, Kumar said the commission has instructed officers of law enforcement agencies in the state to strictly enforce the rule of law without fear or favour.
"Democracy runs very deep in West Bengal. The voting percentage in the state has remained very high. Voters and the public at large respect the Constitution and believe in peaceful and participatory elections," Kumar said.
"The commission appeals to all voters in the state to ensure that polling takes place in a violence-free and intimidation-free atmosphere," he added.
Kumar coined the EC slogan 'Chunao porbo, paschimbanger gorbo' (The election phase is the pride of West Bengal).
Speaking about the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which is nearing completion, Kumar said that pure electoral rolls are a cornerstone of democracy.
"The aim is to ensure that all genuine voters have their right to vote while no ineligible voter is included in the rolls," Kumar said.
The CEC asserted that law enforcement agencies have been instructed to act with "absolute impartiality", and that they must ensure that cash, liquor, narcotics, and contraband substances are kept out of the boundaries of Bengal.