Siliguri, 20 April (HS). On the instructions of the Election Commission, Siliguri Mayor Gautam Dev had to stop the 'Talk to Mayor' live program midway. Last Saturday, after the Mayor's live program, Siliguri BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh had approached the Election Commission alleging violation of election rules.
After this, the Mayor was also in doubt whether the 'Talk to Mayor' program would be possible or not. Gautam Dev started the 'Talk to Mayor' live program at 11 am on Saturday, as instructions to stop the program were not received from the Election Commission till yesterday. During the program, the Election Commission sent instructions to Siliguri Municipal Corporation to stop the program. As soon as the guidelines were received, Mayor Gautam Dev stopped the program midway.
Gautam Dev said that 'Talk to Mayor' is a live program to listen to the problems of common people and solve them. No pledge or election campaigning is done on this occasion. I will take advice from lawyers in this regard. I will also write a letter to the Election Commission so that I can continue the program.
It is noteworthy that Lok Sabha elections are to be held in Darjeeling parliamentary constituency on 26th April. Siliguri BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh had written a letter to the Election Commission to stop the 'Talk to Mayor' program. He had claimed that the 'Talk to Mayor' program falls under the category of violation of election rules. After which, in that letter of the MLA, the Commission had ordered to stop the live program of the Mayor. Hindusthan News/Sachin/Ganga