Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee to sit-in protest against ban on campaigning

Kolkata: A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) banned West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours, she will stage a sit-in protest against the poll body on Tuesday. The ECI banned her from 8pm on Monday till 8pm on April 13 for her “highly insinuating and provocative remarks” which, the poll body said, could affect the election process.

On April 7 and April 8, the ECI sent notices to the Trinamool chief for allegedly urging Muslims to guard against those splitting their votes and for asking people to “gherao” (block) central paramilitary security forces respectively. Commenting on her reply to these notices, the poll body said Mamata Banerjee 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 its Monday notice barring the leader from campaigning, the EC condemned her statements 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.

Reacting to the latest ECI notice to her, the TMC leader condemned the poll body for its 'unconstitutional' and 'undemocratic' decision.

“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 out of which four have been conducted. The next phase will be held on April 17 and the last one on April 29. Results will be announced on May 2.