Jagdeep Dhankhar said voters should be made vigilant and informed. (File)
Kolkata:
On the 11th National Voters’ Day, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to empower and inform voters, ensure their safety and eliminate an atmosphere of fear.
“Make all efforts #NationalVotersDay to make Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed @MamataOfficial. Atmosphere of fear for voter-the supreme stakeholder, must be overcome,” Mr Dhankhar tweeted on Monday.
Further, warning the state government machinery including the police, against political bias, Mr Dhankhar in his tweet said, “Absence of political neutrality @WBPolice @HomeBengal would be culpable leading to consequences.”
This comes as West Bengal will to go to polls this year for 294 assembly seats.
The West Bengal Governor had yesterday urged people to pledge for free and fair elections in the state ahead of Republic Day. He has emphasised that the state can prosper only when democracy is allowed to function in a free and fair manner.
“Our State can flourish only when Democracy blossoms. For this free and fair election @MamataOfficial administration @HomeBengal and police @WBPolice have to be “politically neutral”. Let”s pledge on this Republic Day to achieve in State free & fair elections shun of violence”, tweeted Mr Dhankhar yesterday, asking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal Government and the police to be politically unbiased.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking to ensure free and fair Assembly elections in West Bengal and also to provide protection to the opposition leaders in the state.
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan dismissed the petition and granted liberty to the petitioner to approach other remedies available in law.
The theme for this year’s National Voters’ Day celebrations is ”Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed”. It envisages active and participative voters during elections. It also focuses on EC’s commitment towards conducting elections safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Voters’ Day has been celebrated on January 25 every year since 2011, across the country to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India in January 25, 1950.