Kamal Ghorui
KOLKATA: Bengal’s chief electoral officer (CEO) has directed ADG (legal) to submit a report on poll-related violence during the 2021 Bengal assembly election and the 2024 LS polls, reports Debashis Konar. In a letter dated March 15, CEO Manoj Agarwal sought a list of police station-level officers under whose jurisdiction violence occurred before, during and after the elections. Around 1,300 incidents of violence were reported in 2021, an official said. An SIT was later formed to probe the cases under the monitoring of former Calcutta high court chief justice Manjula Chellur. The reports will include verified non-bailable warrants and lists of history-sheeters. Agarwal said, “Somebody has to take responsibility. The message is clear. Responsibility will be fixed.” The CEO has also asked Kolkata police commissioner to explain why central forces were not deployed during violence at Girish Park. The EC is prioritising cases involving crude bomb recoveries, booth capturing allegations and voter intimidation. The additional CEO has sought details of police transfers after Feb 28, including transfer orders.
