Dinhata by-poll: West Bengal BJP demands removal of DM, SP on charges of violating ECI's voter-id instructions
Oct 28, 2021
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 29 : Ahead of Dinhata by-poll in Bengal's Cooch Behar, West Bengal BJP unit has written to the Chief election officer of West Bengal demanding the immediate removal of District Magistrate and police superintendent of Cooch Behar.
In the letter, Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar, Sanjay Kadyan in an administrative meeting gave specific instructions that no identities of voters will be checked either when they are entering the polling station premises area or when standing in the queue.
"We were shocked to hear that today the DM of Cooch Behar Sanjay Kadyan in an administrative meeting gave specific instructions that no identities of voters will be checked either when they are entering the polling station premises area or when standing in the queue," the letter read.
The BJP recalled its earlier communication where-in party asked for the transfer of the Superintendent of Police of this district for his failure to provide adequate security to its candidate in 07AC Dinhata.
"On each and every occasion that our candidate had been assaulted by the goons of the party in power, AITC, the police force simply stood as spectators and the SP made no effort to get his force to take appropriate steps. Despite our complaints to the SP, he did not take any step. Finally, on October 25, we had approached you for his transfer, but no step has been taken yet," the official communique said.
After this incident, BJP requested the Election Commission to immediately transfer both the DM and SP of Cooch Behar district and also issue clear instructions in public domain that the identities of voters will be check checked while in the queue.
Pointing out the effects of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) pandals at the vicinity to the polling booths, BJP said, "We have also noticed that around the 200-metre point from each booth AITC has made pandals providing for many people to sit there. This clearly has been done with the objective of positioning anti-social elements to intimidate voters just outside their booths."
BJP asked the election commission to take action on this issue. Dinhata by-poll will take place on October 30 and the result will come out on November 2. The seat was won by BJP Coochbehar MP Nishith Pramanik with a narrow margin.
