The Election Commission barred hotels across the coastal tourist belt of Digha, Shankarpur, Tajpur, and Mandarmani from accommodating any tourists from outside the Ramnagar Assembly constituency from 6pm on Tuesday until the conclusion of polling on Thursday.
The directive, issued to the Digha-Shankarpur Hoteliers’ Association on Tuesday, was simultaneously announced through public address systems in Digha, triggering immediate concern among visitors.
Acting on behalf of the EC, the district administration made it clear that the presence of any outsider in hotels during the restricted period would invite strict police action against the respective hotel authorities.
The impact of the order has been swift and visible. Tourists, many caught off guard by the sudden restriction, began vacating hotels in haste to meet the 6pm deadline, leading to a palpable sense of unease at the seaside destinations, which otherwise remain bustling with visitors throughout the year.
District election officer and East Midnapore district magistrate Niranjan Kumar said: “These tourist destinations are located within the Ramnagar Assembly constituency. So no outsiders except the residents of this Assembly constituency will be allowed to stay in any hotel.”
He further clarified: “As per the rules of the Election Commission, all the hotels in the district have been instructed not to accommodate anyone who is not a resident of the local Assembly in the hotel.”
The Ramnagar constituency, which encompasses Digha, Mandarmani, Shankarpur and Tajpur, is among the 152 seats going to polls in the first phase on Thursday. Officials indicated that the restriction has been imposed as a precautionary step amid apprehensions that political miscreants from outside the area could enter under the guise of tourists and disrupt the electoral process.
To enforce the order, police personnel from Digha, Digha Coastal and Mandarmani Coastal police stations conducted continuous announcements over the loudhailers along the seashore throughout Tuesday, urging visitors to leave the area. The administration has warned that any violation of the directive will invite strict legal action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Superintendent of police, East Midnapore, Angshuman Saha, said: “The police will raid any hotel to see if there are outsiders. If there are any outsiders, action will be taken as per the law.”
The directive has cast a shadow over the local hospitality sector, which is heavily dependent on tourism. With around 1,000 hotels spread across these four destinations and lakhs of livelihoods tied to the industry along the Bay of Bengal coast, the sudden closure has raised concerns over significant economic losses.
Association joint secretary Bipradas Chakraborty said: “Tourists are a bit disappointed with the commission’s decision. Although there is a risk of business loss due to the cancellation of hotel bookings, all the hotels have been closed in accordance with the Election Commission. Tourists are being evicted.”