Bengal CEO 'giving all complaints equal importance'

Kolkata, April 3 (IANS) With the model code of conduct (MCC) in place, be it words laced with threats or party supporters carrying weapons during rallies, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) in West Bengal is giving "equal importance" to all complaints, an official said on Wednesday."There is an elaborate mechanism in place and we receive several complaints daily. We give equal importance to each and every complaint," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu told reporters here.Asked about Birbhum's Trinamool leader Anubrata Mondal's comment on central forces, he said that an individual can have his own opinion and can comment whatever he wants. "The CEO's office has all the mechanism like MediaWatch and cVIGIL app available."Mondal, Trinamool's district president, on Tuesday said that not just "nakuldana" (sweet made of flour and sugar), they will give the central forces "whatever they ask for".Regarding the BJP supporters carrying "Trishul" (trident) for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Brigade rally, Basu said: "Kolkata Police is looking into it."Earlier, he had said that all meetings, rallies and public addresses are monitored by the Commission and everything is videographed."When the parties apply for permission, they give a proposed expenditure. We look around how much they are deviating from it and record it in our shadow register," he added.
--IANS bnd/ssp/nir