EC for daily reports on law & order in Bengal from now on- It is clear the EC has taken note of the complaints lodged by Opposition parties

DMs asked to ensure that an error-free electoral list was published to avoid any kind of troubles during the polls

“It is clear the EC has taken note of the complaints lodged by Opposition parties during the last panchayat and civic polls. That is why the poll panel is trying to initiate all required steps to ensure free and fair Assembly polls,” said a source in the chief electoral officer’s office. : File picture

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TT  |   Calcutta   |    18.12.20  :  Deputy election commissioner, Sudip Jain, who is on a five-day visit to Bengal, expressed concern over the prevailing law and order in the state and asked district magistrates and police superintendents to file daily reports from now on.

The move, officials said, is unprecedented as the Election Commission usually seeks daily reports on law and order once the polls are declared.

“In 2016, the DMs were asked to file daily reports after elections were declared on March 5. The move to seek daily reports from now onwards suggests the EC is concerned about law and order,” said a senior government official. 

Jain, who held meetings with the DMS and SPs of south Bengal districts and top government officials at a city hotel on Thursday, made it clear that the authorities should ensure that all the candidates got an equal chance to campaign in the run up to the polls.

“It is clear the EC has taken note of the complaints lodged by Opposition parties during the last panchayat and civic polls. That is why the poll panel is trying to initiate all required steps to ensure free and fair Assembly polls,” said a source in the chief electoral officer’s office.

Jain also asked the DMs to ensure that an error-free electoral list was published to avoid any kind of troubles during the polls.

The revised electoral roll is set to be published on January 15 and the EC is trying to ensure that all applications to enroll names and delete bogus voters are entertained, sources said.

“Jain asked the top officials to deploy enough number of booth level officers to ensure that activities related to electoral roll is carried out without any trouble,” said a source.

Sources also said the EC laid stress on identifying sensitive booths right away so that a proper mapping of the sensitive booths could be done before the polls.

“The poll panel laid stress on the issue as deployment of forces would depend on the number of sensitive booths and areas,” said a DM.

Jain also met representatives of political parties where Opposition leaders complained about the law and order in the state.

The Trinamul Congress lodged a complaint against the BJP with Jain for attacking the chief minister in an obscene way.