Kolkata, April 28: The Election Commission has instructed police to take action following the viral spread of an objectionable meme video targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, just ahead of the second phase of voting.
According to officials from the Election Commission, the meme video was created specifically to target Banerjee. Although no formal complaint has been filed yet, the Commission has directed police to act promptly in response to the situation.
Authorities have indicated that a case could be registered under the Information Technology (IT) Act concerning the video.
Voting for the second phase is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, which includes the Bhawanipur assembly seat in Kolkata, where Banerjee is a candidate. The opposition leader, Suvendu Adhikari, is contesting against her on a BJP ticket.
During the campaign, both candidates have engaged in sharp exchanges. However, campaigning officially ended on Monday.
On Saturday, Banerjee addressed a meeting in Chakraberiya, where some disorder was reported. Allegations surfaced that BJP workers used a microphone to campaign from a distance, forcing Banerjee to cut her speech short.
In her address, the Trinamool Congress leader accused the BJP of lacking decorum. The following day, she led a procession in the area.
Sources indicate that the Election Commission has taken note of the objectionable video and has ordered immediate action.
The Commission has reiterated its commitment to ensuring free and fair elections in the state amid the assembly elections.
Various state and central agencies have seized 4,846,183 liters of alcohol during the campaign in West Bengal. According to Election Commission sources, this year’s alcohol seizures are significantly higher than in previous elections.
In 2021, drugs worth approximately ₹1.36 billion were confiscated, while this year, drugs valued at ₹33.9 billion have been recovered.
The second phase of voting will take place across 142 assembly seats in the state.
Leave a Comment