KOLKATA: The Election Commission has asked the Mamata Banerjee government to defer the house-to-house survey for the Bangla Awas Yojana (BAY) in the six Assembly constituencies where bypolls will be held on November 13.
The commission has clarified that it has no objection to the survey being conducted for the rural housing project in the 288 other Assembly constituencies. The commission, in its communication to the chief electoral officer (CEO), wrote: “The commission has no objection to undertake house-to-house surveys in the state of West Bengal except in the areas where model code of conduct is enforced with effect from October 15.”
After the directive, the TMC has claimed that BJP is trying to stop such work as they are against any good work carried out by the state government .
The directive came after the BJP said the survey, which forms the basis of the rural housing project, was a violation of the model code of conduct.
“The commission has endorsed our demand because the state government, in the name of the housing project, is trying to bribe the voters. Every beneficiary will get Rs 1.2 lakh each for building a pucca house and the verification process is a major step,” a BJP leader said.
The bypolls will take place in Sitai in Coochbehar, Madarihat in Alipurduar, Naihati and Haroa in North 24-Parganas, Medinipur in West Midnapore and Taldangra in Bankura.