EC observer warns TMC candidate kin over voter threats

The Election Commission of India has deployed Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma as police observer for South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal ahead of the second phase of state assembly elections on Wednesday, prompting a political controversy after a video surfaced showing him warning relatives of Trinamool Congress candidate Jehangir Khan over alleged voter intimidation.

Sharma, a 2011-batch officer currently serving as Additional Commissioner of Police in Prayagraj, arrived in the Falta constituency following complaints from residents that Khan's supporters were threatening voters. In the widely circulated video, Sharma addressed Khan's family members at their residence, stating, "Make sure he understands. If there are complaints of people being threatened, we will deal with it properly. If anyone indulges in wrongdoing or tries to harass voters, we will take strict action." He also questioned the presence of 14 West Bengal police personnel at the site, exceeding the sanctioned 10 for Khan's Y-category security, and issued a notice to the local superintendent for an explanation.

The incident has intensified partisan tensions in the Trinamool Congress...