Acting tough, the Election Commission of India (EC) on Wednesday advised a halt to the proposed tour of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to Cooch Behar on April 18-19 saying it would violate the Model Code of Conduct.
EC sources said that the commission felt there was no “imminently known” requirement to visit the place and it would disturb polling officials on the eve of election and has hence advised that the proposed tour may not be undertaken.
Cooch Behar will vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 19. The “silence period” or end of campaign period begins from Wednesday evening.
“Under Model Code of Conduct and being poll day, no local programme can be organised for the Governor as proposed in his issued programme”, the Commission noted in its communication to the Office of the Governor.
It further said that the entire district administration and police force will be fully occupied in election management during April 18-19 and it would be a diversion for them if they need to provide any protocol and local security cover to Governor’s visit.
As per Section 126 of Representation of Peoples Act 1951, the “silence period” 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, political workers who are not voters of that election area shall exit immediately on beginning of the “silence period” to ensure free and fair poll process.
In March, the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal had lodged a complaint with the poll body against the Governor for allegedly interfering with the Lok Sabha election process. In a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, the Trinamool Congress claimed that the Governor was running an office parallel to the EC and that Raj Bhavan has lodged a new portal ‘Log Sabha’ to listen to the grievances of voters and directly connect with them during the election.
