Lodge FIRs: EC tells dist admin

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) directed the district administration not to hesitate in lodging FIRs against candidates of political parties if they are found flouting guidelines of the Commission during election campaign.

The full bench of the Commission-led by Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra held a video conference with the District Election Officers (DEOs) of the remaining two phases of Assembly elections in presence of state CEO Aariz Aftab and nodal officer of state police. Sources said FIR was lodged against 13 people including 6 candidates in Birbhum, who were booked for not following the Covid norms. About 8 candidates in Malda district were show-caused for Covid protocols violations.

Meanwhile, the overall poll percentage for the 6th phase of elections that was held on Thursday has been 82 per cent. East Burdwan, where 8 Assembly constituencies (ACs) went to polls, witnessed 85.42 per cent voting followed by Nadia (9 ACs) with 84.81 per cent. The 17 ACs in North 24-Parganas had 79.95 per cent voting while the 9 ACs in North Dinajpur had 79.76 per cent polling. Sources said the full bench expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitude of the district administration in implementing the Covid protocols during the rallies and meetings and expressed its displeasure over the High Court's intervention with the state officials involved in the election process failing to strictly implement EC's Covid guidelines.