West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday staged a dharna at Gandhi Murti in Kolkata to protest against the Election Commission’s order barring her from campaigning for 24 hours, reported the Hindustan Times.

The poll panel had imposed the ban on Monday, accusing the chief minister of violating the Model Code of Conduct with her comments allegedly asking voters to attack central security forces and for appealing to Muslims to vote against the Bharatiya Janata Party. Banerjee had then announced the dharna to protest against the poll panel’s “undemocratic and unconstitutional decision”.

Meanwhile, politicians criticised the ban. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut alleged that the Election Commission’s decision to bar Banerjee from campaigning was done at the behest of the BJP.

“It is a direct attack on democracy and sovereignty of independent institutions of India,” he said in a tweet. “Solidarity with Bengal Tigress.” In March, the Shiv Sena had extended support to Banerjee ahead of the Bengal polls.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief MK Stalin asked the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field for all parties and to maintain impartiality and neutrality. “The faith in our democracy rests on free and fair elections,” he tweeted.

The Election Commission had issued notices to the chief minister on April 7 and April 9, for “openly demanding votes on communal grounds” and for her comments about the central forces.

In its April 7 notice, the poll panel had highlighted the remarks made by Banerjee at a rally in Tarakeshwar in Hooghly district. “I am requesting my minority brothers and sisters with folded hands; don’t divide the minority votes after listening to the devil person who had taken money from the BJP,” she had said. “He passes many communal statements and initiates clashes between the Hindu and the Muslims. He is one of the apostles of the BJP, a BJP comrade. The comrades of CPM [Communist Party of India (Marxist)] and BJP is roaming around with the money given by BJP to divide the minority votes.”

The second notice was related to Banerjee’s rally in Cooch Behar in which she had had allegedly urged people to corner the security forces if they tried to intimidate voters. “If the CRPF [Central Reserve Police Force] tries to create any trouble, I urge the women in rural areas to gherao them,” she had allegedly said. “Some of you should confine them while others will go to vote… You should repeat it to prevent them from intimidating voters.”

Elections in West Bengal are being held in eight phases. The results will be announced on May 2.