With MCC in place, SEC postpones Rozgar Mela

Kolkata: The state Election Commission (SEC) directed for the postponement of the Rozgar Mela event scheduled to be held at Netaji Indoor Stadium on June 13. The decision comes in the wake of the SEC al-ready announcing the dates for Panchayat polls in Bengal on Thursday evening that implied that the model code of conduct (MCC) is on with immediate effect.

The SEC had informed the organisers that with MCC already in effect, handing job offers cannot be done as the exercise violates the MCC. They have been asked to hold such an event after the Panchayat polls.

The Panchayat polls are scheduled to be held on July 8 in a single phase. The dates of filing nominations have already started from Friday with June 15 being the last date for nomination.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched Rozgar Mela in October 2022 under which 10 lakh people are expected to be given jobs before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

There were speculations among state BJP leadership that Modi would come to Bengal for taking part in the Rozgar Mela initiative on June 13.

Trinamool Congress has time and again been critical about the Rozgar Mela initiative by the Prime Minis-ter. The ruling party in Bengal has referred to it as a publicity stunt and accused the Central government of failure to deliver its promises on employment.