Ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal, the Election Commission has directed that hotels must not allow non-residents to stay during the pre-poll period, effective from 6 pm on Tuesday until polling ends on Wednesday. This directive applies particularly to tourist areas such as Digha, Shankarpur, Tajpur, and Mandarmani, which fall under the Ramnagar Assembly constituency. Niranjan Kumar, the District Magistrate of East Midnapore, confirmed that only residents of the constituency will be permitted accommodation. In addition, similar restrictions have been issued in Jalpaiguri district, where hotels have been notified to comply with Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Greater Siliguri Hotelier Welfare Association has raised concerns regarding the operational impact of this order, highlighting issues with existing bookings and the potential distress caused to guests. The Election Commission's guidelines aim to maintain a level playing field by restricting the presence of outsiders during the critical period before elections. The assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled for April 23 and 29, with vote counting set for May 4.