The Election Commission today issued instructions to keep controversial Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mandal under 24x7 surveillance of the Central police force.
Officials said the Commission has directed West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta to keep movement and election related activities of Mandal under constant watch during the entire election period.
He shall invariably be videographed with date and time stamping, the instructions said.
The team constituted for this purpose should comprise of Central police force personnel under a local magistrate.
Mandal is the TMC Birbhum district president, which goes to polls in the second phase this Sunday.
Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had yesterday said they were initiating urgent legal action against Mandal.
Mandal was censured by the EC on April 12 for making certain utterances against a woman BJP candidate and was asked to be careful in future. Even after that the Commission has been receiving regular complaints against him.
On several earlier occasions the TMC leader has been issued showcause notices by the poll body.
(REOPENS CAL 10)
Later on reacting to the EC decision, Anubrata Mandal said it would not have any impact in the election.
"Our campaigning ended at 6 PM today so it will not impact us at all," he told reporters when asked to comment on the EC's strictures.
He, however, said he had not received any letter in this regard from the Commission adding he was not aware of why he was kept under surveillance.
"Commission did what it felt was right," a visibly perplexed Mandal said.
To a question about complaints against him by opposition parties, he said "I don't care what the opposition leaders say.
