WON’T TOLERATE MISUSE OF MONEY, POWER, SAYS CEC ARORA IN BENGAL

KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has zero tolerance towards misuse of money power, muscle power and state machinery, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, who is on a two-day visit to West Bengal ahead of the crucial assembly polls, said on Friday.

The poll panel also said that central forces would be deployed in the state and would work in close coordination with the police to conduct the polls due in Aprilmay.

“The commission has zero tolerance about misuse for money power, muscle power and government machinery. I am not denying that incidents don’t happen despite the commission makings such statements. But whenever incidents have come to our notice we try to move very swiftly,” Arora said.

The poll panel chief also termed the allegations of the ruling Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) that the Border Security Force (BSF) is coercing voters to favour one party as ‘unfortunate’. “We will deploy as much as we can,” he said.