Kolkata, April 1 – The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a strong warning on Wednesday, stating that it would not tolerate any form of hooliganism in front of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, under any circumstances.
Specifically, the ECI has officially and unequivocally held the Trinamool Congress responsible for such hooliganism in front of the CEO’s office.
This strong reaction from the Commission came in the wake of two developments that began on Tuesday night and continued until Wednesday morning: first, clashes between Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in front of the CEO’s office in central Kolkata. Second, a night-long protest demonstration by Trinamool Congress activists, accusing the ECI and the CEO’s office of colluding with the BJP and enrolling voters from other states on the voter list for the upcoming elections in West Bengal.
On Wednesday morning, the CEO’s office issued a strongly worded social media statement, which not only held the Trinamool Congress responsible for the hooliganism but also reminded that this would not prevent the Commission from ensuring free and fair elections in the state’s two-phase Assembly elections later this month.
“Councillor Beleghata, along with some hooligans, surrounded the CEO’s office and shouted slogans throughout the night. Such anti-social activities will not be tolerated, and the law will take its own course. The ECI will leave no stone unturned to ensure free and fair Assembly elections,” the statement read.
An insider from the CEO’s office pointed out that despite prohibitory orders in place in front of the CEO’s office, preventing large gatherings, ruling party activists conducted a night-long demonstration.
On Tuesday night, the CEO of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, had a long meeting with the newly appointed Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Ajay Nand, regarding ensuring security in front of the CEO’s office. Later, the CEO also told the media that such behavior in front of the office would not be tolerated.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, Agarwal dismissed allegations raised by Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that voters from other states were being included in the state’s electoral roll through mass submission of Form-6 at the CEO’s office.
His comments came just hours after information surfaced that the Chief Minister had written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar earlier in the day.
The letter alleged that BJP agents had been caught submitting thousands of fraudulent Form-6 applications at the CEO’s office to infiltrate the Bengal voter list with outsiders.