Kolkata: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s arrival in Kolkata on Sunday evening was met with protests at some locations as he began a three-day visit to West Bengal to review preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections.
According to reports, groups of protesters waved black flags and raised slogans against the Election Commission while the Chief Election Commissioner was travelling by road from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to his hotel in the city.
One such protest was reportedly organised in New Town and was led by Trinamool Congress MLA Tapas Chatterjee. The demonstration was linked to concerns raised by sections of the ruling party regarding the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
Chatterjee claimed that people from different sections of society had participated in the protest, expressing their dissatisfaction over the voter list revision exercise.
Gyanesh Kumar is visiting the state for a full-bench meeting of the Election Commission, where officials are expected to review the preparedness of the administration and electoral machinery ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections.
The Election Commission’s visit comes at a time when political activity in West Bengal is gradually intensifying as parties begin preparations for the next electoral cycle.
