BSF threatening voters in border areas: TMC complains to CEC

The ruling Trinamool Congress inWest Bengal on Thursday met the full bench of the ElectionCommission of India (ECI) and alleged that the BSF isthreatening people in the border areas of the state to casttheir votes in favour of a particular political party.

The Border Security Force (BSF) is yet to issue areaction to the TMC's allegation.

The full bench of the ECI, led by Chief ElectionCommissioner Sunil Arora, arrived in the state on Wednesdayevening on a two-day visit ahead of the assembly polls, thedates of which are yet to be announced.

''We have informed the CEC and other ECI officials thatthe BSF is threatening voters in border areas. We havereceived inputs that officers of the paramilitary force arevisiting various villages and asking people to cast theirvotes in favour of a particular political party.

''This is a dangerous situation and the ECI must lookinto it,'' TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee toldreporters after meeting the ECI delegation here.

The ECI officials are meeting the representatives ofvarious political parties before holding discussions withofficials of central and state regulatory agencies.

There will also be a review meeting with divisionalcommissioners, district election officers and senior policeofficers over the assembly elections in the state, sources inthe state poll panel said.