Hours after paying a visit to violence-hit Canning in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday night launched a help room at Raj Bhawan to respond to the grievances of the public, an official statement said.

Describing the help room as a “Peace Room”, the statement said it was opened keeping “in view the numerous representations received from citizens on criminal intimidation in pre-poll Bengal.” Rural polls are scheduled in the state on July 8.

The statement said the help room will refer issues to the government and the State Election Commissioner for appropriate action.

“In continuation to the frequent field visits by the Governor to violence affected areas and in view of the numerous representations received from the citizens on criminal intimidation in pre-poll Bengal, a help room has been opened in Raj Bhawan to respond to the grievances of the public,” it said.

People can contact the ‘Peace Room’ at OSD2w.b.governor@gmail.com or can contact through a 24x7 helpline 033-22001641, it said.

Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Saturday summoned the state election commissioner Rajiva Sinha, but the poll panel chief skipped the meeting citing he was busy with the scrutiny of nomination papers.

Sources aware of the development said that Sinha spoke to the governor over the phone and informed him that he was busy with the scrutiny of nomination papers and he can meet the governor any other day whenever he is asked to.

Senior bureaucrats said that the summons by the governor holds significance as the poll panel chief was called up a day after the governor visited Bhangar in South 24 Parganas where troubles broke out and at least two deaths were reported over filing nominations.

The governor had said that in Bhangar that the perpetrators of violence would be silenced permanently and people of the state have the right to exercise their right to vote without fearing anybody.

“In this backdrop, the summon to the poll panel chief was significant… The governor could have asked some uncomfortable questions to the poll panel chief,” said a source.

The governor, however, visited Canning in South 24 Parganas, another area where trouble broke out during the nomination filing process, later in the day and held a meeting with senior administrative officials of the district.