EC asks West Bengal to provide security to Nandigram’s returning officer

Amid reports of threat to the returning officer (RO) of Nandigram assembly constituency, the Election Commission has directed the chief secretary of West Bengal to provide adequate security to him and ensure his safety.

RO Nandigram rejected a request from the Trinamool Congress for recounting in the assembly constituency which has voted BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari to power instead of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.

“Election-related officers on ground perform in extremely competitive political environment diligently with full transparency and fairness and therefore attribution of any motive in such cases is not desirable”, the EC said in a statement on Tuesday.


EC has further directed CEO West Bengal to ensure the safe custody of all election records, including polled EVM/VVPAT, videorecording, statutory papers, counting records etc., strictly in accordance with laid down guidelines/instructions of the commission. He will also coordinate with the state government for additional security measures, said EC.