Kolkata, April 1: A prohibition order has been enforced around the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal due to escalating tensions and protests that began Tuesday afternoon. This order will remain in effect until the conclusion of the assembly elections and the announcement of results. Initially, the restrictions were limited to the street directly in front of the CEO’s office. However, new directives have expanded this area significantly, covering a large zone from Koylaghat Crossing to Kiran Shankar Roy Road.
The Kolkata Police’s decision follows a stern warning issued by the Election Commission earlier that day, which made it clear that any form of misconduct in front of the CEO’s office would not be tolerated.
On Tuesday, a major clash erupted between supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) outside the CEO’s office. Following this, TMC staged a night-long protest, accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of facilitating the inclusion of voters from other states into West Bengal’s electoral rolls by submitting and approving large numbers of ‘Form 6’ applications.
On Wednesday afternoon, two separate protests occurred at the same location. First, members of a booth-level officers (BLO) organization affiliated with the TMC demonstrated on the same issue. Shortly after, BJP supporters arrived and began chanting counter-slogans, creating a tense atmosphere. State police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) had to work hard to keep the opposing groups apart.
Meanwhile, a faction of the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) also gathered near the CEO’s office, protesting against the alleged harassment of voters during the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process.
In light of the ongoing unrest since Tuesday, the Kolkata Police decided to extend the prohibition order on Wednesday to prevent further escalation and maintain law and order in the area.
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