Bengal police, administration not following model code: Salim

Alleging that a section of police and administrative officials in West Bengal were neither following the model code of conduct nor carrying out the instructions of the Election Commission, the Left Front on Tuesday held a sit-in demonstration outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer here.

Organised under the banner of the Kolkata district committee of the Left Front, the protest meeting demanded that the CEO take measures to ensure that the central forces come out on the streets for area domination during the assembly polls.

"The Chief Election Commissioner is issuing so many instructions. The Chief Electoral Officer is also announcing them. But a section of Kolkata and state police officers and state administrative officials and civic officials are not pursuing the model code of conduct.

"They are also not carrying out the instructions and even a section of the state administration is being misused in Kolkata," said Md. Salim, politburo member of Left Front spearhead Communist Party of India-Marxist.

Refering to Monday's first phase of polls, Salim said though the people had come out in large numbers to "vote out the Trinamool government", the ruling party's "goons" tried to threaten the voters.

"A part of the local police played a nasty role. So the CEC must take note of this. And the CEO also must take note of this," the Lok Sabha member said.

Salim also complained that central forces were not seen in many of the areas which went to the hustings on Monday.

"The central force were supposed to dominate the area. But they were not seen in many parts. In the next phase of election the CEO must take action," he added.

Polling will take place over six more dates in the state till May 5.