Kolkata, May 25 (FN Agency) The Kolkata Police has imposed Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and prohibited any unlawful assembly of five or more persons for 60 days in the West Bengal capital here from May 28 to July 26, 2024 or until further order. “Kolkata Commissioner of Police imposes section 144 of the IPC, prohibiting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons for 60 days from 28.05.2024 to 26.07.2024 or until further order based on information received from credible sources that violent demonstrations are likely to take place resulting in large-scale disturbances of the public tranquillity and breach of the peace,” the order said. “The prohibition of any unlawful assembly of five or more persons will remain in place from May 28 till July 26, 2024, or until further order,” the order stressed.
The dates include the final phase of Lok Sabha election (June1), day of counting of votes (June 4), formation of government at the Centre which is expected to be completed by second week of June. West Bengal has been witness to unprecedented post poll violence both after the last state and Panchayat polls. In the 2021 assembly poll in Bengal during the first phase five people were killed and the tally went up and up immediately after May 2 results. Bengal also witnessed bloody Panchayat polls in 2023 and these events made the ECI extra cautious for the General Elections. However, the police has clarified there was nothing new to the order and it is renewed every two months.