Kolkata: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has issued a stark warning: any deviations from maintaining law and order during West Bengal's upcoming Assembly polls will not be tolerated. This declaration follows a series of high-level meetings where the CEC and his team assessed the state's election preparedness. Officials were informed that lapses in this critical area will face "strict action."
The Election Commission (EC) also pressed state officials on the absence of a 'Narcotics Advisory Committee,' a body reportedly present in other states. Instructions were issued for immediate remedial measures concerning this omission.
Review of Preparedness and Officials Under Scrutiny
The CEC, accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, engaged in detailed discussions with senior state administrative and police brass, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and Director General of Police (DGP) Piyush Pandey. These meetings aimed to review overall poll preparedness and the coordination between state administration and security agencies, particularly the deployment of central armed police forces.
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District Election Officers (DEOs) were directly cautioned by the CEC. They were reportedly asked to explain instances of not implementing EC directives and challenges encountered, especially in border districts. Reports suggest the EC expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of several election officers involved in the recent 'Special Intensive Revision' (SIR) of voter lists, with some DEOs allegedly pulled up for submitting ineligible documents and approving questionable voter inclusions. The CEC specifically reprimanded DGP (Law and Order) Vineet Goyal during a meeting, reportedly due to concerns over the voter list revision process.
Political Undercurrents and Accusations
The EC's firm stance on law and order emerged amidst broader political tensions. Opposition parties, including the CPI(M), had previously raised concerns regarding poll violence and the voter list revision process.
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During a meeting with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation, discussions reportedly became heated when the party raised its objections concerning the SIR exercise. Following these interactions, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused CEC Kumar of threatening state officials. A TMC minister, Chandrima Bhattacharya, also voiced her displeasure, stating she was not addressed with due respect by the CEC. The CEC, in turn, had reportedly asked the minister to lower her voice during their exchange.