EC asks Bengal chief secretary to ensure no celebration over poll results

The Election Commission on Sunday afternoon directed West Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi to ensure that no celebrations take place over poll results amid fears of violence.

In a letter, the EC said the state government must ensure that adequate steps are taken so that no post-poll violence happens.

"... no victory celebrations/ procession during/after the counting shall be allowed in the ongoing elections in West Bengal, for which counting is being taken place on October 3, 2021," EC secretary Rakesh Kumar said in the letter.

"All necessary actions must be taken to ensure the strict compliance of Commission's direction where in all such activities have already been prohibited in view of pandemic. Further, state government must ensure that adequate steps are taken so that no post poll violence takes place," he added.

The EC asked Dwivedi to ensure strict compliance with the directions.

The letter came as TMC workers across the state hit the streets to celebrate the massive lead Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee received in the Bhabanipur by-election. The party's candidates in Jangipur and Samserganj assembly were also ahead of their rivals, adding to the revelry.

BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal, Banerjee's rival in the Bhabanipur seat, had on Saturday night written to the Acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Rajesh Bindal, urging him to give orders to the police to take preventive steps to avoid incidents of violence after the results are declared.