Representatives of various political parties in West Bengal met the entire bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Kolkata on Monday, with many of them seeking a maximum of two-phase polling for the upcoming Assembly elections, the poll body said, even as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused it of threatening state officials.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, met representatives of TMC, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, AAP, NPP and Forward Bloc, among others, in Kolkata as part of the poll body’s three-day visit to review election preparedness in the state.
“The political parties urged the commission to conduct the elections in one or two phases. They (political parties) called on the IEC to provide protection to every voter and deploy anti-terror police in large numbers to curb violence during the elections. The IEC will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring fair, transparent and fair elections in West Bengal,” the CEC said in a statement.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Sishir Bajoria said that they had asked the Election Commission of India to hold the elections in one phase or in two phases at most. “Holding elections in multiple stages does not help.”
Veteran Congress leader Pradeep Bhattacharya said: “The main priority is protection and security. The Election Organization of India must ensure that elections are conducted free of violence and people must be protected. We will be happy if it is conducted in one phase.”
A senior EC official who attended the meeting said: “In the meeting, the CEC directed officials and law enforcement agencies to ensure a peaceful and festive environment for the elections. The officials were also directed to confiscate liquor, drugs and illegal weapons. The officers were asked to maintain a complete non-partisan stance and follow the rule of law. They were asked to maintain strict vigil against fake news.”
However, the ruling TMC claimed that a war of words broke out between Kumar and his delegation during a meeting.
“Like every time, it was him [Kumar] Who did all the talking. After talking for a while, he suddenly became upset and said, “That’s you.” [TMC] I have moved the Supreme Court. He was screaming. “We were accused of shouting,” TMC Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said after the meeting.
She added after the meeting: “Is moving the Supreme Court a crime? We have the right to move the court.” “he [Kumar] He was asking me not to scream. I told him that his attitude proves that he does not respect women. “For this reason, the names of female voters are deleted.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also criticized the poll boss.
“I heard that the officers were threatened in the meeting. They were warned of strict action if they did not follow his orders. They were told that action can be followed even after May (when the electoral process ends). It is good to have courage but not audacity. Will you remain in office after May? First check that. Then you can threaten people and government officials of West Bengal,” she said while addressing a gathering in Kolkata where she has been staging a sit-in since March 6 in protest against the deletion. Names on voter lists after SIR.
But an ECI official denied this charge. “During the meeting, one of the leaders of the Transitional Military Council spoke in a loud voice. The Central Election Commission advised her to lower her tone and present her demands and suggestions constructively.”
CEC Kumar told HT that he has warned of a zero-tolerance policy against any attempt to disrupt the electoral process. “Any instance of violence, intimidation or coercion of voters or election officials will call for immediate and firm action. District magistrates and police authorities will bear personal responsibility for maintaining law and order…” he said.
(With inputs from Harsh Yadav)
