KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said his security personnel stayed outside the booth when he went to cast his vote during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls, in adherence to an order of the state election commissioner.
The governor said peaceful polling with no fear in the minds of voters and absence of interference of the state apparatus are at the heart of any election process.
"My security personnel adhered to the order issued on Saturday night State Election Commissioner Sourav Das allowed the facility to only two persons - Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee," he said.
"I had called Sourav Das twice and tried to impress upon him that polling should be held peacefully and without fear, and the administration should not interfere in any manner in this," Dhankhar added.
On allegations by opposition parties of violence and intimidation during elections, he said "the panchayat polls of 2018 had brought shame to the state."
"Since the (KMC) elections are in progress now, I do not think it to be right to comment any further," the governor added.
A voter turnout of 36.78 per cent was recorded till 1 PM on Sunday.