NewKerala.com

Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal: All Steps Taken for Free and Fair Polls

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated that all necessary steps were taken to ensure free and fair polling. The Trinamool Congress has indicated it will seek recounts in constituencies with margins under 1,000 votes. Early counting trends showed the BJP leading in 173 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 85. The Election Commission has retained 700 companies of central forces to prevent post-poll violence.

Key Points: Bengal CEO: Free and Fair Polls Ensured

  • Bengal CEO says free, fair polls ensured
  • Trinamool seeks recount in close seats
  • BJP leads in early trends
  • 700 companies of central forces retained
3 min read

We made all efforts to ensure free and fair polls, says Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal says all efforts made for free, fair polls; Trinamool Congress seeks recount in close contests.

"We made all efforts for this election to be free and fair and for maintaining law and order during the voting. - Manoj Kumar Agarwal"

Kolkata, May 4

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Monday said that the Election Commission of India had taken all necessary steps to ensure that polling in the state was conducted in a "free and fair" manner while maintaining law and order throughout the electoral process.

Addressing reporters, Agarwal said, "We made all efforts for this election to be free and fair and for maintaining law and order during the voting. We urged the people to take this election as a festival of democracy."

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has indicated that it will seek a recount in constituencies where the margin of victory is less than 1,000 votes.

Responding to queries on recounting, Agarwal clarified that the process is strictly governed by established rules.

"The procedure for recounting is fixed. If any seat comes under that criterion, only then will there definitely be a recount. The political parties don't need to tell us anything. Our ROs know the procedure, and it will be followed 100 per cent," he said.

Early counting trends after the first four hours on Monday showed the Bharatiya Janata Party leading in a significantly higher number of constituencies compared to the ruling Trinamool Congress in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.

As per data available on the Election Commission website till noon, trends for 261 out of the 293 Assembly constituencies had been recorded. Of these, BJP candidates were ahead in 173 constituencies, while the Trinamool Congress was leading in 85 seats.

The Left Front-All India Secular Front alliance was ahead in one constituency, and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), founded by former Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir, was also leading in one seat.

Earlier in the day, Agarwal announced that the winning party will be able to take out a victory procession in the districts only after seeking prior permission from the district magistrate and the district electoral officer.

"At the same time, I appeal to all political parties to maintain restraint after the final results are declared officially. In a democratic process, some parties will win, and some parties will lose. But that victory or defeat should not result in violence," Agarwal said.

This time, the ECI has decided to retain 700 companies of central forces in West Bengal for an indefinite period till further orders to prevent events of post-poll violence, as it happened in 2021.

The repolling in the entire Assembly constituency at Falta in South 24 Parganas district will be on May 21, and the results will be announced on May 24.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

J
James A
Interesting to see the EC's proactive stance on recounting. But the fact that TMC is already asking for recounts in tight margins suggests there might be genuine concerns. The 173 vs 85 lead for BJP is staggering—something clearly shifted in Bengal's political landscape. I hope the process remains transparent.
R
Rohit P
The EC's decision to keep central forces is smart—last time we saw what happened post-results. But why only now? The violence in 2021 was predicted but ignored. Anyway, better late than never. Also, the victory procession rule is a good step to avoid unnecessary clashes. Let's see if parties follow it properly.
S
Sarah B
I appreciate the CEO's appeal for restraint—that's truly needed in Bengal's polarised environment. But words alone won't stop violence. The 700 central forces are a tangible step, but they need to be deployed smartly, not just as a show of force. Let's hope the recounting process is as rule-bound as claimed. 🙏
K
Kavya N
Honestly, the 'festival of democracy' line feels hollow when we see the ground reality—intimidation, violence, and allegations from all sides. The repolling at Falta shows things weren't smooth. I hope the EC's efforts genuinely result in fairness, but Bengal’s history makes me wary. Fingers crossed for peaceful counting! 🤞
M
Michael C
The EC's statement is standard, but the real test comes after results. 700 companies is a huge force—that tells you how fragile the situation is. The BJP's lead

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50