ECI cautions Bengal governor against visiting Cooch Behar, cites MCC
What's the story
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has advised West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose to postpone his planned visit to Cooch Behar on Thursday and Friday, owing to the 48-hour silence period.
During this period, which typically begins 48 hours before voting day and concludes after voting is completed, no active campaigning by candidates or political parties is permitted.
As such, the ECI expressed concerns that the visit could potentially infringe upon the model code of conduct (MCC).
Visit Concerns
Governor's visit perceived as breach of conduct
The poll body also stated that the district administration and police force will be fully occupied with election management on Thursday and Friday.
Therefore, such a tour would be a "diversion" if they needed to provide "local security cover" for this "unexpected proposed visit" without an "imminently known requirement."
The silence period for Cooch Behar will begin at 6:00pm on Wednesday. Section 126 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, mandates a 48-hour period till the conclusion of the poll.
Voter outreach
Restrain CV Ananda Bose: TMC to ECI
The Commission issued its order weeks after the state's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrote to it, accusing the governor of interfering with the electoral process.
"Restrain Mr. CV Ananda Bose, the Hon'ble Governor of the State of West Bengal from running a parallel electioneering system of so-called reporting of complaints and supervising the elections under the name and style of "Log Sabha," the TMC wrote to the commission.
Poll
Cooch Behar will go to polls in the first phase
Cooch Behar will go to the polls in the first phase.
The constituency, which was a stronghold of the Forward Bloc for almost three decades, now appears to be a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bastion.
It was one of the 18 seats the BJP won in the state in the 2019 election.
The BJP has fielded its sitting MLA, Nisith Pramanik, from the seat. Pramanik is being challenged by fellow Rajbanshi, TMC's Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia.