Bengal panchayat polls: SEC mulling imposition of prohibitory order close to nomination centres

By PTI

KOLKATA:  In view of experiences of stray incidents of violence earlier than nomination centres for panchayat elections in West Bengal, the State Election Commission is mulling imposition of prohibitory orders underneath Section 144 CrPC close to such centres from Monday, a senior SEC official stated.

“We are considering imposition of prohibitory order underneath Section 144 Crpc round nomination venues very quickly.

Once we take the choice the notification can be issued and handed on to the DMs on clamping Section 144 CrPC and can be in pressure inside a 1 km radius distance of each such venue to stop gathering,” the official advised PTI on Sunday.

Asked what prompted the choice, the official stated “After assessing the ground situation for the sake of smooth and peaceful electioneering process to enable all stakeholders to perform their role.”

The state’s three-tier panchayat elections are scheduled to happen on July 8.

The choice was preceded by experiences of violence throughout two days of nomination submitting throughout which a TMC employee was allegedly shot at in a conflict in Coochbehar, a Congress activist was shot useless in Murshidabad, and a TMC chief was caught with a firearm in Murshidabad.

Opposition BJP, Congress and CPI(M) additionally claimed that their candidates have been prevented by ruling get together activists from submitting papers in Murshidabad, Paschim Bardhaman and South 24 Parganas district.

“Action has been taken on the basis of receiving reports of every incident and the nomination process went on smoothly across the state since Thursday including the arrest of a political leader for moving around with a firearm in Murshidabad. The SEC will act strictly and promptly in every situation,” he added.

The official stated over 10,000 nomination papers have been filed for three-tier elections on the primary two days throughout the state with the bulk numbers filed by opposition events.

A Congress activist was shot useless on Friday, the primary day of nomination submitting, in Murshidabad district allegedly by TMC activists, a cost denied by the ruling get together.

On the second day, incidents of violence and scuffle between staff of the ruling and opposition events have been reported in Bankura, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts.

Opposition BJP demanded instant deployment of central forces to conduct the panchayat polls whereas the TMC asserted that the opposition is trying to find excuses fearing defeat.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP and get together spokesperson Shantanu Sen stated the opposition had confronted extreme drubbing within the 2021 meeting polls and several other assemblies and one Lok Sabha by-elections, all of which have been carried out within the presence of central forces.

“People of Bengal are solidly behind the TMC and not with the BJP, Congress or the CPI(M). The opposition may demand deployment of peacekeeping force from the United Nations in panchayat polls if they want,” Sen stated.

The panchayat polls can be held within the state on July 8. The 2018 rural ballot course of was marred by violence and alleged malpractices in a number of districts.

KOLKATA:  In view of experiences of stray incidents of violence earlier than nomination centres for panchayat elections in West Bengal, the State Election Commission is mulling imposition of prohibitory orders underneath Section 144 CrPC close to such centres from Monday, a senior SEC official stated.

“We are considering imposition of prohibitory order underneath Section 144 Crpc round nomination venues very quickly.

Once we take the choice the notification can be issued and handed on to the DMs on clamping Section 144 CrPC and can be in pressure inside a 1 km radius distance of each such venue to stop gathering,” the official advised PTI on Sunday.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

Asked what prompted the choice, the official stated “After assessing the ground situation for the sake of smooth and peaceful electioneering process to enable all stakeholders to perform their role.”

The state’s three-tier panchayat elections are scheduled to happen on July 8.

The choice was preceded by experiences of violence throughout two days of nomination submitting throughout which a TMC employee was allegedly shot at in a conflict in Coochbehar, a Congress activist was shot useless in Murshidabad, and a TMC chief was caught with a firearm in Murshidabad.

Opposition BJP, Congress and CPI(M) additionally claimed that their candidates have been prevented by ruling get together activists from submitting papers in Murshidabad, Paschim Bardhaman and South 24 Parganas district.

“Action has been taken on the basis of receiving reports of every incident and the nomination process went on smoothly across the state since Thursday including the arrest of a political leader for moving around with a firearm in Murshidabad. The SEC will act strictly and promptly in every situation,” he added.

The official stated over 10,000 nomination papers have been filed for three-tier elections on the primary two days throughout the state with the bulk numbers filed by opposition events.

A Congress activist was shot useless on Friday, the primary day of nomination submitting, in Murshidabad district allegedly by TMC activists, a cost denied by the ruling get together.

On the second day, incidents of violence and scuffle between staff of the ruling and opposition events have been reported in Bankura, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts.

Opposition BJP demanded instant deployment of central forces to conduct the panchayat polls whereas the TMC asserted that the opposition is trying to find excuses fearing defeat.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP and get together spokesperson Shantanu Sen stated the opposition had confronted extreme drubbing within the 2021 meeting polls and several other assemblies and one Lok Sabha by-elections, all of which have been carried out within the presence of central forces.

“People of Bengal are solidly behind the TMC and not with the BJP, Congress or the CPI(M). The opposition may demand deployment of peacekeeping force from the United Nations in panchayat polls if they want,” Sen stated.

The panchayat polls can be held within the state on July 8. The 2018 rural ballot course of was marred by violence and alleged malpractices in a number of districts.