The Election Commission on Wednesday issued show-cause notices to two Trinamool Congress leaders in West Bengal for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct, IANS reported. The notices against Jitendra Kumar Tiwari and Anubrata Mondal came based on a complaint filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In his complaint, BJP leader Jay Prakash Majumdar claimed Tiwari, the mayor of Asansol, had announced monetary benefits for his councillors in West Bardhaman district to ensure a lead for party candidates in their municipal wards. Mondal, the party chief in Birbhum district, had encouraged violence, the BJP claimed.
The saffron party also alleged that West Bengal ministers Firhad Hakim and Rabindranath Ghosh had made threatening statements and resorted to malafide campaigning.
Voting for the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. The Model Code of Conduct has been in effect since March 10, when the poll schedule was announced.
“We have asked for a factual report in all cases,” Additional Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, Sanjay Basu said, according to IANS. “The DEO of Birbhum and West Bardhaman districts have already given a show cause notice.”
Basu also said the poll panel was awaiting a reply from BJP MP Babul Supriyo who was sent a show-cause notice for releasing videos of his party theme song for Bengal without permission.
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