The Election Commission on Saturday evening passed an order prohibiting the entry of any political leader in Cooch Behar district of Bengal for the next 72 hours, following the violence in the Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency.
It also extended the “silence period” for the fifth phase of polling on April 17 from 48 to 72 hours, which will end the campaigning for the remaining seats in Cooch Behar on April 14.
An interim report by general observer Sharad Laxman Ahire and police observer Madireddy Pratap from the spot at 12.36pm said the CISF personnel had killed four persons and injured an equal number when a mob attacked the polling station at Amtali Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra.
Special observers Ajay Nayak and Vivek Dube had sent their report to the EC at 5.12pm without the reports of the district administration and police.
The order from EC secretary Rakesh Kumar says: “The joint report of the two special observers has been received at 5.12pm wherein they interalia stated that recourse to open fire by the CISF personnel became absolutely necessary in order to save the lives of the voters lined up at the polling booth, those of other polling personnel and their own lives as the mob had attempted snatching their weapons...
“Whereas, it has also been stated by the special observers that report of the district magistrate, Cooch Behar, and superintendent of police, Cooch Behar, had not been received by them so far, that is, till 5.12pm although the electronic media from 3pm onwards started showing statement of Shri Debashish Dhar, SP Cooch Behar, wherein it was stated that firing was done by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) purely in self-defence, etc…”
The order added: “… it has been brought to the notice of the Commission that the last rites of the four deceased persons had still not been completed and that some political leaders may visit this area with the ostensible purpose of condoling with the families of bereaved which, however, has the portent to cause a law and order problem of major proportions in this place as well as the adjoining places.”
The directions given by the EC are: “1. In Cooch Behar district comprising of 9 ACs (Assembly constituencies 1 to 9) where voting shall be over by today, no political leader from any national, state or other party should be allowed to enter the geographical boundaries of the district for the next 72 hours. This comes into force with immediate effect; 2. Chief secretary, West Bengal, and director-general of police, West Bengal, as also district magistrate and superintendent of police of Cooch Behar are hereby tasked for taking all steps necessary including visiting themselves, deputising senior officers, reinforcement of central/state forces, etc, to ensure the strict compliance of the directions of the Commission in letter as well as in spirit; 3. Special general observer Shri Ajay Nayak and special police observer Shri Vivek Dube, as well as chief electoral officer, West Bengal, shall keep the Commission informed on a real time basis about the developments in Cooch Behar for the next 72 hours in the context of aforementioned directions of the Commission; 4. The Election Commission of India further directs that the silence period for phase 5 (that is for polls scheduled on April 17, 2021) shall be extended to 72 hours and no campaigning shall be permitted during 72 hours before the close of the poll in order to ensure the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections. The respective district election officers and superintendents of police/commissioners of police shall be personally responsible for its compliance...”
