Won’t tolerate money & muscle power: CEC

Kolkata, Jan. 22: With political parties apprehending violence and unrest in poll-bound West Bengal, chief election commissioner Sunil Arora on Friday said the commission has zero-tolerance to money and muscle power and misuse of the government machinery.

The CEC also said no civic police volunteers will be deployed for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. "The commission has zero-tolerance to money and muscle power or misuse of government machinery," the CEC told reporters here.

He said the EC’s expenditure observer will take steps to prevent misuse of money power.

The full bench of the ECI, which is currently in the state to review preparedness for the assembly polls due in April-May, held meetings with representatives of political parties, senior government officials and police officers.

Asked about incidents of violence ahead of the assembly elections in the state, Arora said, "We would like to review events of serious crimes which have political overtones and examine them on a case-to-case basis."

To a related question about the EC taking action against those involved in incidents of hurling stones at political meetings and processions, the CEC said, "The commission can act only after the election dates are announced. We will take a series of measures and not allow bike rallies after the model code of conduct comes into force."

About the possibility of early deployment of central security personnel in the state ahead of the elections, Mr Arora said, "I don’t know who gave you the idea that we are going to deploy forces two-three months before the polls. We will go by our standard operating procedure and deploy them as and when necessary.