EC advises Bengal Guv to cancel his Cooch Behar visit ahead of polls, warns him of model code violation

The first phase of the Lok Sabha election is due on Friday and Cooch Behar is going for voting on the day.

It is a standard order of the Commission that the moment the silent period begins, VIPs, leaders, and political workers who are not voters of the constituency concerned, should exit.

The measure is not only followed to ensure a free and fair election but also to see that there is no extra workload on the police and security forces, who will be in charge of ensuring security for the visiting VIP.

The poll body's order came weeks after the state's ruling Trinamool Congress wrote to it, accusing the Governor of interference in the election process.

"Restrain Mr. CV Ananda Bose, the Hon'ble Governor of the State of West Bengal from running a parallel electioneering system of so-called reporting of complaints and supervising the elections under the name and style of "Log Sabha," the Trinamool had told the Commission in its letter.

Cooch Behar is one of the 18 seats won by the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

The BJP is now trying to retain the seat, dominated by voters from the Rajbanshi community. It has fielded its sitting MLA from the seat -- Nishith Pramanick, who is also a member of the community.