ECI’s decision to cut short campaigning in WB a ‘dark spot on India’s democracy’: Congress

May 16, 2019

New Delhi, May 16 (ANI): Congress on Thursday termed Election Commission of India's (ECI) unprecedented move to curtail the campaign period in West Bengal for the final phase of the Lok Sabha polls as a “parting gift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP" and a "dark spot on India's democracy”. Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the ECI has allowed campaigning in the state till 10 pm today to ensure that the two pre-announced rallies of Modi in Mathurapur and Dum Dum parliamentary constituencies were not affected by the poll body's order. The move came in the backdrop of the violence that broke out during a roadshow of BJP president Amit Shah in Kolkata on Tuesday. Campaigning was originally scheduled to end at 5 pm on Friday for the nine constituencies that would go to polls on May 19.