# Bengal

Priyanka gets EC notice over poll code violation, rubbishes charge

“I did not violate any Covid19 norms. I and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were travelling in the same car to submit nomination papers. Adhikari was in the car. MP Arjun Singh and Dinesh Trivedi went there separately. I did not take responsibility of other persons who assembled there,”

SNS/PTI | Kolkata | September 16, 2021 12:58 am

Priyanka gets EC notice over poll code violation, rubbishes charge

BJP’s Bhabanipur candidate Priyanka Tibrewal was issued a show-cause notice by the Election Commission after the TMC complained that she violated the poll code by gathering a large number of supporters while filing her nomination.

In its complaint, the TMC alleged that Tibrewal violated the Model Code of Conduct and Covid-related guidelines by gathering “an unruly mob” of not less than 500 without any permission. She even performed ‘Dhunuchi Nach’ (traditional Bengali dance, generally performed during Durga Puja) at places on the way to file her nomination, the TMC claimed.

The notice issued by the returning officer on Tuesday also referred to the report submitted by the officer-incharge of the Bhabanipur police station where he mentioned traffic congestion following a big assembly of BJP supporters on Sambhunath Pundit Street and other places.

Tibrewal however rubbished the allegations claiming that she didn’t violated any Covid-19 norms during filing her nomination. “I did not violate any Covid19 norms. I and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were travelling in the same car to submit nomination papers. Adhikari was in the car. MP Arjun Singh and Dinesh Trivedi went there separately. I did not take responsibility of other persons who assembled there,” she said.

Tibrewal has also sent her to answer ECI. She on Monday filed her nomination papers from the Survey Building in South Kolkata, accompanied by Adhikari, Singh, Dinesh Trivedi, and actor Rudranil Ghosh, among others. TMC has filed complaints against me that I assembled numerous people, she said.

Tibrewal, also an advocate, said police today prevented chanting of ‘Hare Krishna’ by few kirtan players who were accompanying her while she was on door-to-door campaign trail. “My brother died yesterday. So three kirtan players were praying for the departed soul. Police stopped it,” she said. Miss Banerjee has to win this bypoll to retain her chief minister’s post after having lost to Aadhikari in Nandigram in the assembly elections held earlier this year.