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Security beefed up at SEC office

The state election commission (SEC) officials refused to talk to the reporters waiting in front of the SEC office on…

Security beefed up at SEC office

Left Front activists during a protest rally in front of the State Election Commission in Kolkata on Thursday. (Photo: SNS)

The state election commission (SEC) officials refused to talk to the reporters waiting in front of the SEC office on Sarojini Naidu Sarani throughout the day after the High Court issued a stay order on the election process till 16 April.

With the imposition of Section 144 and deployment of huge contingent of police force led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (south), Mr Meeraj Khalid, the entire stretch of road connecting Park Street looked like a fort.

Sensing trouble on an agitation programme organised by the eight wings of the Left Front, security arrangement was tightened further during the day. No mediaperson was allowed to enter into the twostoried SEC office building.

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Around 200 activists of the youth wings like SFI, DYFI, PSU, AIYF etc. staged a demonstration in front of the SEC office in protest against the pre-panchayat election violence allegedly unleashed by the ruling Trinamul Congress over the submission of nomination papers mainly by the Opposition parties across the districts.

Shouting slogans against the SEC and police, the agitating Left activists alleged that democracy has become a martyr because of the Trinamul- sponsored violence.

They wanted to reach the main entrance of the SEC office by breaking the three-tier rail guard installed by the police. They fled the spot after staging the demonstration for hardly 20 minutes.

Three of the activists were arrested by police, but they were released later. One woman agitator fell ill during the programme and she was taken to a nearby hospital by a police ambulance for treatment.

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