E-Paper
EC bans Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours, she says will protest
The Election Commission of India on Monday barred West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was on Monday barred from campaigning for 24 hours by the Election Commission of India for her “highly insinuating and provocative remarks”, which the poll body said has “serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process". The ban from 8pm on Monday till 8pm on April 13 comes ahead of the fifth phase of West Bengal assembly elections on April 17. Mamata Banerjee promptly tweeted she will protest against the ban handed to her.
The commission, in its order, condemned her statements as "portent with serious law and order problems across the state (s)" and advised her "to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force."
“Whereas, the Commission has carefully considered the matter and is of the considered view that Ms. Mamata Banerjee, who also happens to be the Chief Minister of the State, has in violation of the provisions of Model Code of Conduct as well as Section 123(3) & (3A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Sections 186, 189 and 505 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 made highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with serious potential of breakdown of law & order and thereby adversely affecting the election process,” the commission said in its order.
“Now, therefore, the Commission hereby condemns such statements portent with serious law & order problems across the State(s) and sternly warns Ms. Mamata Banerjee and advises her to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force. The Commission also imposes a ban of twenty four hours on Ms Mamata Banerjee from campaigning in any manner from 8.00 pm of 12.4.2021 till 8.00 pm of 13.4.2021,” the order added.
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The commission pointed out to the two notices it sent on April 7 and April 8 and said she has “selectively chosen parts of her speech in her reply” and that “her reply has yet again conveniently left out key parts of her speech, perhaps due to selective amnesia.”
In her response to the campaign ban, Mamata Banerjee said she will stage a sit-protest in Kolkata on Tuesday. “To protest against the undemocratic and unconstitutional decision of the Election Commission of India, I will sit on dharna tomorrow at Gandhi Murti, Kolkata from 12 noon,” she tweeted.
West Bengal assembly elections are being held in eight phases and four of them have been conducted so far. The next phase will be held on April 17 and the last one on April 29. Votes will be counted on May.
