The BJP's West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh has been banned from campaigning in the state for 24 hours for violation of Model Code of Conduct.
The Election Commission of India (ECI), on Thursday, said the BJP leader "made highly provocative and inciteful remarks which could adversely impact law and order thereby adversely affecting the election process."
The ban will be in effect from 7 pm April 15 to 7 pm April 16, during which Ghosh will not be allowed to campaign.
"The Commission sternly warns Dilip Ghosh and advises him to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force and imposes a ban of 24 hours from 7pm on April 15 to 7pm on April 16, 2021 during which he shall not be allowed to campaign," the letter from the EC read.
The poll body had, on Tuesday, issued a notice to Ghosh for his alleged remarks after four people were killed when central forces opened fire during polling at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district.
A day after the incident, on April 11, the BJP leader had said, "Naughty boys, who had presumed that the rifles of the central forces were just for a show during election duty, will not dare repeat the same mistake after seeing what happened in Sitalkuchi. Naughty boys received bullets at Sitalkuchi. If anyone dares to take the law in his hands, this will happen to him also."
—With PTI inputs
