Lok Sabha polls 2024: Raj Bhavan forwarding election complaints received in 'Peace Room' to EC

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose is keeping a close watch on the proceedings of the first phase polling in three Lok Sabha constituencies in the state on Friday from 'Peace Room' at the Raj Bhavan here, an official said.

Bose, who offered his prayers at the Kalighat Temple this morning for free and peaceful polling in the three constituencies, started 'monitoring' the situation there from the 'Peace Room', the official said.

The Raj Bhavan was instantly forwarding the complaints received at the 'Peace Room' to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for them to take necessary action, he said.

"I will fulfil my duties as the Governor. The responsibility of holding a free and fair election is that of the ECI," Bose told reporters.

Since Friday morning, complaints have been pouring in one after another and most of them range from allegations of voters being obstructed while heading towards the polling station, to complaints of EVM tampering, the Raj Bhavan official said.

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh hit out at the Bengal governor and alleged that in the name of the 'Peace Room', Bose was running an 'anti-TMC campaign' at the time of an election.

Stating that the governor is not an official of the poll body, Ghosh questioned the authority of Bose to monitor the poll proceedings in the three constituencies of north Bengal.

"The governor is campaigning against Trinamool in the name of Peace Room during the polls. He is not a member of the Election Commission. Campaigning by Delhi-appointed office-bearers on polling day is out of the norm. Law and order is now the responsibility of the commission. Raj Bhavan has no role there," Ghosh posted on X handle.

Polling in the three Lok Sabha constituencies of Cooch Behar (SC), Jalpaiguri (SC) and Alipurduars (ST) started at 7 am on Friday and will continue till 6 pm.