The three-member TMC delegation, led by state minister Partha Chatterjee met EC officials and registered a complaint into the incident and demanded a thorough probe.
Tag: Election Commission
-
Notice to Election Commission seeking to debar poll campaigners for violation of COVID-19 protocol
By ANI
NEW DELHI: A legal notice has been sent to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday seeking to debar election campaigners for violation of COVID-19 protocol during campaigning in Assembly elections of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry.Vikram Singh, former Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, and presently the Chancellor of Noida International University and Chairman of Think Tank Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC) has sent the notice to the ECI and urged it to take strict action against those who are not following its directions of mandatory masks.
Singh, in a notice filed through advocate Virag Gupta, mentioned if the Commission failed to take action, he would be compelled to approach the High Court seeking necessary directions. He stated that the Commission had directed that every person shall wear a face mask during every election-related activity.
“Further, the Election Commission vide its Advisory dated October 21, 2020, sought the cooperation of all political parties to follow instructions related to pandemic at all stages, especially wherever public interface in physical form is involved and held that observance of the preventive measures including wearing a mask, use of sanitiser, observance of social distancing is a duty cast upon all the stakeholders in the larger interest of public health,” read the notice.
He further added that there are many instances wherein campaigners and their supporters are not wearing masks while campaigning for the elections. Photos and videos showing the same are replete across electronic and print media, and on many occasions, shared by the campaigners themselves, read the notice.
“There is an old adage saying as the king so are the subjects. It is submitted that when the VIPs (MLAs, MPs, Ministers and Chief Ministers) are not wearing the masks, expecting all of the general public to wear the same is an expectation too high, ” Vikram Singh stated.
“When the nation is spending billions of rupees on the security of VIP leaders, they must follow the masking guidelines,” he said.
The notice also mentioned that the Delhi High Court, on March 8, has taken suo moto cognizance of non-wearing of masks by several persons in the Air India flight from Kolkata to Delhi, has also issued notice to DGCA and Air India, and wing strict guidelines including to ensure that all passengers are complying with the protocol to be followed by them in flight, especially regarding wearing of masks.
-
‘Attack’ on Mamata: Trinamool defers its manifesto release, to approach Election Commission
By ANI
KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress has deferred its manifesto release scheduled for today following an alleged attack on party chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.The Chief Minister, who was on a two-day visit to Nandigram from where she filed her nomination earlier on Wednesday, alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning.
She was brought to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram.
leader Partha Chatterjee has said that the party will raise the incident of the attack over West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee with the Election Commission on Thursday.
“Those who are cowards have been constantly trying to stop Mamata, but no one could stop her, today’s incident shows that the attack on Mamta Banerjee was a conspiracy, first the state’s Additional Director General of Police (ADG) law and order was changed, after that the state Director General of Police was removed, now this incident happened,” Chatterjee told reporters outside the hospital where Mamata Banerjee has been admitted.
“We (TMC party leaders) have decided that tomorrow we will go to the Election Commission and keep this matter in front of the constitutional authority,” he added.
ALSO READ | ‘Attack’ on Mamata: Theatrics for public sympathy, says Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Banerjee was brought to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram, where she was campaigning for the upcoming Assembly polls in the state. She was wheeled into the hospital on a stretcher.
The chief minister, who was on a two-day visit to Nandigram from where she filed her nomination earlier on Wednesday alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning yesterday.
She sustained “severe bony injuries” on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.
West Bengal is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray.
Elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
While Mamata Banerjee is seeking her third consecutive term, BJP has set a target of winning 200 seats in the 294-member state Assembly. Congress and the Left have stitched the alliance for the polls and had already finalised the seat-sharing agreement. They are also in touch with the Indian Secular Front (ISF), recently floated by influential minority leader Abbas Siddique.
ALSO READ | Delhi CM Kejriwal condemns ‘attack’ on Mamata, says those responsible must be arrested
In 2016, West Bengal Assembly elections, out of the 294 seats, Congress had managed to win 44 seats while the Left Front bagged 33 seats. The ruling TMC secured 211 seats and the BJP had won 3 seats.
The BJP made deep inroads in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats and decimating TMC’s tally to 22. Out of the total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, Congress won two seats, the Left drew a blank.
After BJP’s performance in the 2019 polls, several TMC leaders have joined the party.
-
Bengal poll observers meet state government officials, discuss law and order
By PTI
KOLKATA: Special Observer for the West Bengal assembly elections Ajay Nayak and Special Police Observer Vivek Dubey on Wednesday met senior state government officials and discussed the issue of law and order ahead of the first phase of polling on March 27, a source in the CEO’s office said.During the meeting with Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and other officials, Nayak and Dubey sought full cooperation from the administration to conduct free and fair polls.
The observers also met Home Secretary HK Dwidevi and DGP P Nirajnayan.
“Law and order issue was discussed at the meeting. The ECI officials expressed their concern over the law and order situation in the state and sought total cooperation from the administration to hold fair and free elections,” the source said.
The meeting was held a day after the Election Commission removed Virendra as the Director-General of Police of West Bengal.
The commission also recently removed Jawed Shamim from the post of ADG (Law and Order).
Nayak and Dubey reached the state last week and have been holding meetings with various authorities to oversee poll preparedness and take stock of the situation.
The first phase of the elections will be held in 30 assembly constituencies in five districts – Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram and parts of Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur.
The eight-phased elections to the 294 seats in West Bengal will be held between March 27 and April 29.
Votes will be counted on May 2.
-
‘Attack’ on Mamata: ECI seeks report, says official
The Trinamool Congress supremo was injured in the leg after being allegedly pushed by unidentified people near a temple at Reyapara.
-
Central observer for Assam polls tests positive for COVID-19
By PTI
GUWAHATI: A central observer of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for Assam polls has tested positive for COVID-19 after his arrival in Jorhat district, a senior official said on Wednesday.Jorhat Deputy Commissinoer Roshni Aparanji Korati said the ECI appointed general observer Manjeet Singh Brar tested positive on Tuesday on arrival in the district.
“He is stable and under home isolation at one of his friend’s place. A medical team is monitoring his health parameters and there is nothing to worry,” she added.
Brar reached Dibrugarh airport on Monday night from Punjab and then travelled to Jorhat by road Tuesday morning.
Korati further informed that a new general observer has been appointed by the ECI in his place.
The new observer coming from West Bengal is expected to reach Jorhat by evening.
As per the ECI direction, all the officials coming from outside Northeast for conduct of election in Assam have to undergo coronavirus test in the reporting district.
For general people, as per the standard operating procedure, everybody coming from outside northeast have to undergo mandatory COVID test at the Airport on arrival.
The constituencies in Jorhat district are going to polls in the first phase on March 27.
-
Trinamool, Congress see red as Election Commission shunts out Bengal DGP
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Central Election Commission on Tuesday axed the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Virendra and replaced him with Neeraj Nayan Pandey ahead of the high-voltage Assembly election contest in the state.It also directed the state government not to give Virendra any post that directly or indirectly relates to the conduct of elections.
The change of guard came amid concerns of violence flagged by the BJP.
Till now, Pandey was the Additional Director General of Police (organisation), who was part of the CBI team that had probed the Taj corridor scam in 2002-2003 when he was on deputation.
Earlier, the poll panel had removed Bengal’s additional director general of police (law and order).
“The ECI is acting at the behest of the BJP. Virendra was an efficient officer. The removal of senior officials will not have an impact on poll result and the Trinamool is all set to retain power,” said Saugata Roy, the party’s MP and spokesperson.
Echoing him, Congress Bengal president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the BJP’s trick to remove efficient officers would not provide electoral dividend in their favour.
Bengal is set for a closely watched contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and a surging BJP, which is hoping to win 200 of the state’s 294 seats.
Elections will begin on March 27 and continue till April 29, making it the longest ever polls in the state. The results will be declared on May 2.
Comply by today, Chief Secretary told
In its directive to the West Bengal chief secretary, the Election Commission said, “Kindly inform the commission about the compliance latest by 10 am tomorrow (Wednesday).”
-
Election Commission orders removal of West Bengal DGP Virendra
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday ordered removal of Virendra as the Director General of Police of poll-bound West Bengal with immediate effect, and appointed P Nirajnayan in his place.In a directive to the state chief secretary, the EC said Virendra “should not be given any post which directly or indirectly relates to conduct of election.”
The move came in the wake of several political parties complaining to the Election Commission, alleging that Virendra was inclined towards the ruling Trinamool Congress, sources said.
ALSO READ: Mamata warns BJP against playing ‘Hindu card’
“Kindly inform the commission about the compliance latest by 10 am tomorrow (Wednesday),” the order said.
The commission had recently removed Jawed Shamim from the post of ADG (Law and Order) of West Bengal and replaced him with Jagmohan.
The eight-phase assembly elections in the state will begin on March 27 and conclude on April 29.
-
COVID-19: EC doubles broadcast time for political parties in five poll-going states, one UT
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday doubled the broadcast time allotted to recognised political parties in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Doordarshan and All India Radio during the upcoming assembly polls in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and enhanced relevance of “non-contact based” campaigning.It had taken a similar decision for Bihar assembly polls held late last year.
“Considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and enhanced relevance of non-contact based campaign, Election Commission of India, in consultation with Prasar Bharati Corporation has decided to double the broadcast or telecast time allotted to each national party and recognised state party of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on Doordarshan and All India Radio” for the assembly polls, the commission said.
A base time of 90 minutes will be given to each national party and recognised state party of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal uniformly on the regional kendras of Doordarshan and All India Radio network in the poll going states and the UT.
The additional time to be allotted to the party has been decided on the basis of the poll performance of the party in the last assembly elections held in these states and the UT in 2016.
At the time of 1998 Lok Sabha elections, a new initiative for state funding of recognised political parties through free use of the state-owned television and radio was introduced.
The scheme was subsequently extended in all the assembly elections held after 1998 and Lok Sabha polls in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
-
Bengal poll: ECI removes top cop after TMC makes his wife candidate
By PTI
KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday removed Superintendent of Police of Howrah (Rural) Soumya Roy after his wife became a candidate of the ruling Trinamool Congress for the assembly elections in West Bengal, an official said.The TMC has nominated Roy’s wife, actress Lovely Maitra, for the Sonapur Dakshin seat in South 24 Parganas district.
According to rules, none in the family of a candidate can be involved in the election process, the official of the Chief Electoral Officers office said.
“Soumya Roy has been removed. His wife Lovely Maitra is a candidate and he will not be involved in the election process in any form,” the senior official told PTI.
Soon after Maitra was named as the TMC candidate for the Sonapur Dakshin seat, opposition political parties have raised questions on how her husband could continue as the SP of Howrah (Rural).