PREOCCUPATION with VIP constituencies should not be an excuse for the Election Commission to fail in its constitutional duty of ensuring a free and fair poll in the last phase of the polls in West Bengal. Addressing a press conference at the Party headquarters in New Delhi on May 11, 2014, after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Sitaram Yechury said that the Commission is concentrating too much of its energy on one single constituency. He was alluding to Varanasi from where Narendra Modi is contesting. He regretted the fact that though the CPI(M) and Left Front had made several complaints during the course of the last four phases of the elections in West Bengal, the Election Commission had failed to intervene and take action. Sitaram Yechury said that since the last phase of the elections there have been large scale attacks in West Bengal indulged in by the TMC. It is not the CPI(M) alone which has lodged such complaints; other political parties have also lodged complaints with the ECI, he said. Pointing out to the seriousness of the situation, Yechury said that the attackers are not even sparing candidates. The CPI(M) candidate from Kanthi, Tapas Sinha, had to be hospitalised after he was injured in an attack. On the evening of May 10, at Belgharia in the Dum Dum constituency, the CPI(M) party office was attacked by TMC goons. DYFI state secretary and CPI(M) state committee member Sayandip Mitra and seven other Party workers were seriously injured in an attack when they were returning from the police station after lodging an FIR against the attack on the Party office. Mitra suffered serious head injuries and is under observation in a hospital. In another incident at Kashipur in the same constituency, local CPI(M) activists were attacked early in the morning on May 11, 2014. A party worker has also been kidnapped. Barrackpore and Halisahar also witnessed such attacks. Physical attacks on party workers were also reported at Beleghata near Kolkata. Attacks have taken place against central ministers owing allegiance to the Congress party also. Such attacks are unacceptable, he said. Drawing attention to the seriousness of the situation prevailing in the state, he said that announcements are being made over the public system at various places threatening polling agents from other parties from entering the booths on the day of polling. Observing that the situation is unprecedented and a mockery of democracy, he demanded that polling agents of all parties should be provided protection. The memorandum submitted to the ECI requested them to appoint special observers or officers in any other capacity to ensure that proper law and order is maintained and people are allowed to exercise their fundamental right to vote fearlessly in the last phase of the elections, on May 12. Among other things, the party has demanded that history-sheeters be taken into custody to prevent them from intimidating and threatening voters.