West Bengal civic body polls: Guv Jagdeep Dhankar calls state election commissioner over violent incidents during voting

Kolkata: Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday called upon State Election Commissioner Saurav Das at Raj Bhawan on Monday morning to inform him about the alleged violence during the civic polls at 108 municipal bodies in the state.

According to Governor House sources, Saurav Das was called by the Governor at 10 am on Monday in view of alleged disturbing inputs, depicting scenarios of violence and lawlessness, with administration in partisan mode and systemic failure.

Talking to the media, Dhankhar said that the poll on Sunday was more of a ‘war’.

“The situation I have seen on Sunday is dangerous. In this state the law of the ruler is working. Civic polls are equally important as Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. The administration failed to ensure free and fair elections,” said Dhankhar.

Mentioning that no reports of violence has been reported from the five states where Assembly election is taking place, Governor slammed the State Election Commissioner for allegedly not ‘abiding’ to the Constitution.

“It is my constitutional right to tell everyone to abide by the Constitution. Hope Saurav Das also abides by the constitution and meet me and tell me the truth. After the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls I called him but even then he had acted smart. Instead of looking for any alibis he should respect his chair,” claimed Dhankhar.

TMC minister and spokesperson Chandrima Bhattacharya however, described the incidents as ‘isolated ones’.

“Out of around 10,000 polling booths, sporadic incidents of violence have been reported from a few places. Polls have taken place peacefully. Opposition just tried to malign the ruling party,” said Chandrima.

At the time of reporting, a BJP delegation on the other hand had met the Governor on Sunday evening.