Can't put curbs on hospitalisation-related matters: EC

The Election Commission today said it cannot put curbs on any hospitalisation-related matter after Opposition alleged that jailed former West Bengal minister Madan Mitra could be "shifted" to a hospital before the fourth phase of Assembly elections tomorrow.
"How can we curb or do anything to prevent admission of someone in a hospital if the medical situation of the person concerned demands so? Doctors are the best judges on these matters," a senior EC official said here on condition of anonymity.
Madan Mitra, who is presently lodged in Alipore jail in the multi-crore Saradha chitfund scam case, is contesting the polls from Kamarhati constituency on a Trinamool Congress ticket.

Mitra has already been barred by the EC to cast his vote as prisoners, whether under-trial or convicted, do not have voting rights.
The Opposition has alleged that efforts are on to shift Mitra from the jail to a hospital so that he can control tomorrow's voting from that facility.
BJP contestant from Kamarhati Krishanu Mitra alleged that the ruling TMC has unleashed a "reign of terror" in many wards of the constituency and people have been asked to remain indoors tomorrow.

"We know there were several meetings in the jail on voting and he (Mitra) is trying to get admitted to a hospital, so that it makes things easy for him to control tomorrow's elections," Krishanu told reporters.

"We have informed the EC about the terror we have faced while campaigning and threats to the voters. The EC has assured us to look into the matter," he said.
Meanwhile, the EC today said there was no rule to stop non-advertorial based campaigns in the social media.
"There is no rule in EC on contents in social media. They cannot put any advertisements after campaign close deadlines," Additional CEO Dibyendu Sarkar said when asked about campaign on social media being carried out even after deadlines of respective poll phases.
There would be 35 general, five police, ten expenditure and two awareness observers for the two districts, which goes to polls tomorrow in the fourth phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal.