EC vows free, fair polls in West Bengal: CEC Kumar

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday, April 20, asserted that the Election Commission will leave no stone unturned in holding free, fair and transparent polls in West Bengal where the first phase of voting is scheduled to be held on April 23.

Interacting with officials involved in poll management, the CEC said the elections will be fear-free, violence-free and intimidation-free.

Officials said the poll authority will ensure elections are also inducement-free and “booth jamming free”.

No employee of the state government, local bodies or autonomous bodies will be allowed to influence the electoral process, they said.

The ruling TMC in the state has accused the EC of playing in the hands of the BJP, a charge vehemently rejected by the election watchdog.

The EC and the TMC have also been at loggerheads over the special intensive revision of voters’ list with the party accusing the poll authority of deliberately disenfranchising voters to benefit the BJP. Both the EC and the BJP have rejected the charge while dubbing it as baseless.

The second phase of voting in West Bengal will be held on April 29 and votes will be counted on May 4.