Lok Sabha Elections 2024: ECI issues show cause notice to TMC MLA for 'threatening' voters, Opposition party workers

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to Trinamool Congress MLA Hamidul Rahman for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct by 'threatening opposition party workers and voters', an official said.

Acting on a complaint from Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, the poll body examined the transcript of the speech made by Rahman, TMC's Chopra MLA, in his constituency in Uttar Dinajpur earlier this month and asked him to respond to the show cause notice by 5 pm on April 25.

"The commission received a complaint through Suvendu Adhikari's video post on X handle on April 11 alleging that while delivering a speech at a public meeting, Rahman was threatening voters and opposition party workers," the official said.

'Rahman was heard saying, 'Forces of the central government will remain here till (April) 26. After that you will have to stay with our forces. Don't waste your precious votes. Central forces will leave this place on (April) 26 and then only our 'central forces' will be here. Don't complain then, asking what happened to me and why...',' he said.

The West Bengal CEO authenticated the transcript of the speech, he said.

"After examination, it was found to have violated the MCC and sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Indian Penal Code" the official said.

Elections will be held in the area in the second phase on April 26.

Meanwhile, the poll body said there would be no difficulty in conducting the polls despite the cancellation of appointments of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staffers in state government-sponsored and aided schools, several of whom were to be deployed for poll duty.

According to a senior official at the office of the CEO, the Calcutta High Court's verdict 'will not affect the polls as they have additional manpower and would make up for that shortfall'.

"We have additional manpower which will make up for the shortfall. We always keep a 20-25 per cent extra manpower for polls," he said.

The commission, however, has not yet taken any final decision in this regard, he said.