Kolkata: With Governor C V Ananda Bose having cancelled his North Bengal visit, on the first day of elections in Bengal he monitored the field situation from Raj Bhavan’s Peace Room and is learnt to have forwarded complaints received to the Election Commission (EC).
Raj Bhavan sources said that the Governor has been forwarding complaints to the EC since morning. Most of the complaints are learnt to have come from Cooch Behar. Bose is learnt to have clarified that it is the EC’s duty to ensure peaceful elections.
On Friday, Bose offered prayers at the Kalighat Temple and headed straight to the Peace Room (control room) in Raj Bhavan. He has been monitoring the elections in three constituencies in North Bengal — Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri — since morning. Complains varied from malfunctioning of EVM machines to resistance posed to voters while heading to polling booths. He said as a Governor, he will perform his Constitutional duties and has full faith in the EC to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.
Sharing pictures of Bose inside the peace room, the Raj Bhavan Kolkata official X handle read: “Hon’ble Governor Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose visits Raj Bhavan’s Grievance Redressal Mechanism, in the 24x7 PEACE ROOM, and takes stock of poll related news and complaints and petitions received over phone and email.” However, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh criticised the Governor’s activities and alleged on X that during the polls the Governor staged an anti-TMC campaign.
He said the Governor is not a member of the Election Commission and hence campaigning by Delhi-appointed office bearers on polling day is out of the norm. Law and order is now the responsibility of the Commission, Raj Bhavan has no role here. He accused the Governor of systematically trying to influence voters. Raj Bhavan is being misused during the polls, Ghosh alleged.