In the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, three seats in West Bengal — Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri — went to polls on Friday.

Talking about the first phase of general elections, he said, “The election was conducted in a more peaceful manner than the panchayat elections.” The 2023 panchayat elections in West Bengal saw widespread violence which left around 50 dead and several persons injured.

Bose, who offered his prayers at the Kalighat Temple this morning for free and peaceful polling in the three constituencies, started ‘monitoring’ the situation there from the ‘Peace Room’, the official said.

The Raj Bhavan was instantly forwarding the complaints received at the ‘Peace Room’ to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for them to take necessary action, he said. “I will fulfil my duties as the Governor. The responsibility of holding a free and fair election is that of the ECI,” Bose told reporters.

Stating that the Governor is not an official of the poll body, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh questioned the authority of Bose to monitor the poll proceedings. “The Governor is campaigning against Trinamool in the name of Peace Room during the polls. He is not a member of the Election Commission. Campaigning by Delhi-appointed office-bearers on polling day is out of the norm. Law and order is now the responsibility of the commission. Raj Bhavan has no role there,” Ghosh posted on X handle.