Kolkata, April 28 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Tuesday welcomed the Calcutta High Court’s judgment that it would not pass any order related to officers deployed on election duty until April 29, the day of second phase of polling in West Bengal.

The decision came after a lawyer verbally appealed the court to restrict Election Commission-appointed police observer Ajay Pal Sharma.

Previously, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan had alleged that Sharma issued threats to his family members and locals in Falta Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district’s Diamond Harbour.

Hailing the court judgment, Union Minister of State and former West Bengal BJP Chief Sukanta Majumdar said: “It shows that the Election Commission (EC) is on the right track.”

He indirectly accused the police officers of the state of being biased.

“The Trinamool Congress is not habituated to having an impartial officer. They are afraid of having an unbiased officer because if the people come out, they will vote against the Trinamool Congress,” Majumdar said.

He hoped that with the steps taken by the EC to maintain law and order in various sensitive areas of the state, there will be peaceful voting during the final phase of voting as well.

“I think that the Election Commission should continue working in the same strict manner and take even more firm action, because there are many areas like South 24 Parganas, where there are goons of the Trinamool Congress who have become political leaders in a few years,” Majumdar said.

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee also welcomed the decision of the Calcutta High Court.

She said: “The Trinamool is scared of these people (EC observers). That’s why they have filed a complaint. I welcome what the Calcutta High Court has suggested.”

About the second phase polling, Chatterjee was also optimistic that everyone will vote peacefully.

“There is no atmosphere of fear. More percentage of people will vote. Women and Gen Z will vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this is our hope. People of Diamond Harbour could not vote in the elections for many years, tomorrow they will vote without fear,” she told IANS.

–IANS

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