The Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on June 25 alleged that its fact-finding inquiry team was not allowed by the West Bengal State Election Commissioner to visit and meet the "injured" children in Murshidabad due to Model Code of Conduct which came into force ahead of the July 8 panchayat elections in the State.
In a series of tweets, Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo asserted that it is the responsibility of the body to ensure help and treatment to the victims.
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On June 20, the NCPCR sought permission to relax restrictions on the commission's team to the State for a fact-finding inquiry.
While replying to the request, the State poll body had advised that the visit of the commission's team may be deferred till the completion of the election process.
"With reference to the above I am directed to inform you that since the Model Code of Conduct is in place in the State in connection with the Panchayat General Election, 2023 and the entire State machinery, including the district civil and police administration is involved with the election work, it is advised that the visit of the Commission's team may be deferred till the completion of the election process," read the notice dated June 21.
"5 children have been injured in a bomb blast in Murshidabad, West Bengal, in this case, it is the responsibility of the body to ensure help, treatment to the victims," Mr. Kanoongo tweeted.
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As per the NCPCR chairperson, due to the implementation of the code of conduct for panchayat elections in the State, the permission of the Election Commission has to be taken to go there, which is a normal administrative procedure, and is generally given in matters related to the lives of children.
Mr. Kanoongo termed the decision on the part of Rajeev Sinha, State Election Commissioner of West Bengal, an "act of sheer cruelty and inhuman" while reminding him of his long-time association with child rights organisations.
"Anyway, children are not even voters, yet the State Election Commissioner of West Bengal Mr. Rajeev Sinha did not allow us to go to meet the injured children, it is sheer cruelty, it is inhuman. And this level of insensitivity is when Mr. Sinha himself @UN has worked for a long time in a child rights organization @UNICEFIndia," Mr. Kanoongo said in another tweet.
The election will be held in a single phase on July 8, with vote counting scheduled for July 11.
