The Election Commission of India issued an order to keep Trinamul Congress’s Birbhum district chief Anubrata Mondal under strict surveillance from Tuesday 5pm to Friday 7am.
Eleven seats in Birbhum are among the 35 to go for polling on Thursday, the last day of the eight-phase Bengal polls.
“I am directed to state that in view of serious complaints and feedback received from various sources and as per the report of DEO (district election officer) and SP Birbhum, the commission has directed that Shri Anubrata Mondal, district president of AITC, Birbhum, should be kept under strict surveillance of Executive Magistrate and CAPF, round the clock from 5.00pm of April 27 till April 30, 2021, for ensuring free and fair elections as we had done during Assembly election in 2016 and the Lok Sabha election in 2019,” read a statement by Rakesh Kumar, a secretary of the EC, issued on Tuesday.
A deputy magistrate, four central force personnel and a videographer will be with Mondal to monitor every activity of his.
After the order was issued, Mondal said it had become a “predictable routine”.
“I am used to it now. I am not worried about surveillance. I will do my work and they (the poll commission) will keep a watch,” he said.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who anticipated the possibility of a re-run of the EC’s surveillance this time too, had told Mondal publicly on Saturday that he should move court if it happened this time. Mamata said it was “illegal” to keep any person under surveillance repeatedly and had asked Mondal — addressing him by his nickname Keshto — to seek protection from the court.
Asked if he would move court following Mamata’s advice, Mondal said: “I will discuss it with her.”
One of Mondal’s close aides said the leader was unwell and it was not certain if he would tour the district this time.