New Delhi/Kolkata: Ahead of the initial phase of the Lok Sabha Elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday put a stop to the scheduled trip of West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose to Cooch Behar on April 18-19.

“Given awareness of the planned visit of the West Bengal Governor to Cooch Behar on April 18-19, 2024, which coincides with the polling date of April 19 and the start of the silence period from this evening, ECI has advised against proceeding with the proposed visit,” sources informed ETV Bharat.

In alignment with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and considering poll day, the ECI communicated that no local engagements could be held for the Governor, as suggested in his program, on these dates.

The electoral body also noted that the district’s administration and police will be heavily engaged in managing election-related tasks on April 18-19. Providing any protocol and security for this unplanned visit would detract from their timely election work.

As outlined in Section 126 of the Representation of Peoples Act 1951, the ‘Silence period’ in Cooch Behar commences on April 17, 2024, at 6:00 pm, imposing several restrictions and heightened enforcement by election authorities.

The electoral commission issued directives to District Election Officers and District Police Chiefs to ensure all high-profile individuals, campaigners, and political workers not residing in the election zone vacate the area at the onset of the “silence period” to maintain a fair and unbiased election process.