ECI asks Bengal police to implement all non-bailable arrest warrants ASAP

Kolkata: The full bench of the Election Commission of India (EWCI), which is on a two-day visit to West Bengal, on Monday directed the state police to implement all the pending non-bailable arrest warrants in the state at the earliest.

The ECI team also directed the state government to send a report to the commission on this count once the implementation process has been completed.

The Commission on Monday held a meeting with all the bureaucrats and police officers, including district magistrates, police commissioners and district police superintendents, wherein it gave these directions.

Sources said the ECI team also made it clear to the police commissioners and district police superintendents that under no circumstances the civic volunteers, either attached to the West Bengal Police or the Kolkata Police, should be used for any kind of poll-related duty, directly or indirectly.

On this point, sources said, the Commission members recalled the allegations relating to rampant use of civic volunteers during the panchayat elections held last year, which were marred by massive violence resulting in the deaths of 55 persons.

The Commission members also cautioned the police that while all attempts should be made to prevent pre-poll violence, each and every complaint by the people should be treated seriously.

Sources in the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that the Commission especially cautioned the superintendent of Basirhat district police to adopt extra precautions with regard to Sandeshkhali, which has been on the boil for some time now following protests by local women accusing a section of the local Trinamool leadership of sexual harassment.