EC punishes Mamata Banerjee for poll code violation, bans her from campaigning for 24 hours

New Delhi: Incumbent West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee received a major blow as the Election Commission banned her from campaigning for next 24 hours.

The poll body debarred her from campaigning for 24 hours from 8 pm today to 8 pm tomorrow. EC said that she made “highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with the serious potential of breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process”.

The ban comes into force ahead of the fifth phase of assembly polls in the state on April 17.

It also advised her “to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force.”

Didi served 2 notices by Election Commission

Didi has been under the scanner of poll body for ‘provocative’ statements in the ongoing 8-phased elections in the state.

This is the second notice served to Bengal CM. In its first notice, the EC had warned Mamata over her comments that ‘minority voters’ should not split which in turn would help a certain party.

In the second notice, the EC found her statements related Cooch Behar in violation of model code of conduct. In this, Didi reportedly asked voters particular women to ‘restrain’ central forces if the latter ‘create disturbances’.

Didi lashed out at HM, PM in Siliguri rally

During a public address in Bengal’s Siliguri on Sunday, Mamata Banerjee said, “Home Minister Amit Shah is completely responsible for today’s incident and he himself is the conspirator. I don’t blame central forces because they work under Home Minister’s order.”

Banerjee continued saying, “I believe, this incident is pre-planned. I will order an investigation into the matter.”

Training guns at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, “It was PM’s responsibility to meet the family members of the deceased. Isn’t he ashamed? He is giving a clean chit. It’s a matter of shame. I condemn his attitude.”