Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) is learnt to have denied Governor C V Ananda Bose permission to go to Cooch Behar for field inspection before elections begin on April 19.
Raj Bhavan sources had informed that Bose was scheduled to leave for Cooch Behar on Thursday. He was supposed to conduct a field inspection to assess whether the situation is peaceful there ahead of the election day. Bose was also supposed to speak with the police administration while had also instructed Raj Bhavan officials to receive any complaints relating to polls in the ‘Log Sabha’ portal started by him. Lok Sabha seats Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri are going for April 19. On Wednesday, it was learnt that the EC refused permission to Bose to visit seats which are heading for polls since the silence period is starting from Wednesday and his visit will violate Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The election body advised that the proposed tour may not be undertaken, the sources said.
Under the MCC, no local programme can be organised for the Governor as proposed in his issued programme, the EC noted in its communication to the office of the Governor. The commission has also noted that the entire district administration and police force will be occupied in election management during April 18 and 19. The visit of the Governor would be a diversion for them from time-bound poll-related work as they will have to provide protocol and local security cover to the “unexpected” proposed visit “without an imminently
known requirement”. According to Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act 1951, the “silence period” for Cooch Behar starts from 6 pm April 17, which brings in a multitude of restrictions and a higher level of enforcement by election authorities, the sources said. The EC has issued standing instructions to all district election officers and district police chiefs to ensure that all high-profile persons, campaigners and political workers, who are not voters of that election area, exit immediately at the beginning of the “silence period” to ensure a free and fair poll process, the sources observed.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh questioned why Bose felt the need to visit there since there is already peace in those areas. He alleged that the Governor is acting as the BJP agent.