EC keeps Trinamool's Mondal 'under strict surveillance'

The Election Commission has decided to keep Trinamool Congress' Birbhum district President Anubrata Mondal "under strict surveillance" and closely watch his movements following allegations that he is threatening polling officers, sources in the commission said on Sunday.

Both constituencies in the district - Bolpur and Birbhum - would go to the hustings on Monday.

"He will be kept under strict surveillance and his movements will be closely watched," the sources said.

Earlier, a group of Bengal poll officials had requested the CEO to take stringent measures and to "keep the said leader under house arrest".

"We have information that the ruling party leader Anubrata Mondal is threatening polling officials to conduct polls in their favour. Also there are information regarding removal of central forces in case they become too active in any booth," an association of poll officials had said in a written complaint.

The script seemed to be turning into a replay of the 2016 Assembly polls, when the EC had advised Mondal - who was under the poll panel's surveillance then too - to refrain from moving beyond his constituency.

The commission had then taken the action against Mondal following complaints by the opposition that he was threatening them.

--IANS

bnd-ssp/vd