The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) against the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal accusing the latter of biased, partisan conduct and violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) while seeking his removal.
The development comes two days after Manoj Kumar Agarwal, CEO of the state, visited Nandigram in East Midnapore and interacted with a section of voters.
The TMC, however, alleged that Agarwal was accompanied by a local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who took the CEO around to meet BJP voters in the area. Refuted the allegations, the CEO said that they were blatantly false and mischievous.
“This partisan conduct strictly amounts to undue influence, partiality and corrupt practices under The Representation of the People Acts, 1950. Furthermore, it is also in clear and direct violation of the MCC, which has been in place since March 15. The CEO has violated the provisions of Sections 129 and 134 of the RPA. It is evident from such incidents that the CEO of West Bengal has been acting for candidates of the BJP and has been acting to influence voting,” stated the TMC’s letter to Gyanesh Kumar, CEC.
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A four-member delegation of TMC MPs including Derek O’Brien, Sagarika Ghose, Menaka Guruswamy and Saket Gokhale is also likely to meet the CEC in New Delhi on Wednesday morning, TMC leaders aware of the details said.
In its letter, which was shared with the media late on Tuesday night, the TMC has sought Agarwal’s removal and other appropriate actions against him under the MCC and RPA.
“In the light of the above mentioned circumstances you are called up to forthwith take appropriate action against Agarwal in accordance with the provisions of the MCC, the RPA and the applicable laws, including but not limited to initiation of proceedings for his disqualification from the post of CEO,” the letter states.
The CEO has started visiting vulnerable pockets in some of the districts which witnessed violence in previous elections including panchayat polls, assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls.
Agarwal told HT that the allegations of connivance with a BJP functionary were blatantly false.
“I was accompanied by the district magistrate, police, CAPF and other district and block officers. Such allegations of connivance with a BJP functionary are blatantly false, mischievous, bereft of any truth and deserves to be condemned. The spots for the visit were selected by the district magistrate largely based on previous incidents of violence, threats and intimidation to voters. The CEO is duty-bound to ensure free and fair polls and to instill confidence among voters. Irrespective of any false narrative being orchestrated by vested interests, I will continue with my field visits unabated,” Agarwal told HT.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari questioned the TMC for levelling such allegations.
“Was he carrying any BJP flag? In post-poll violence the people who were killed were mostly BJP workers. We all know what actions were taken by the Calcutta high court and we have also seen the attitude of the ECI against such violence. Several officers have been transferred after analysing the history of post-poll violence. Does the TMC want to say that no official should visit the residence of a victim of post-poll violence who has been murdered?” Adhikari told media persons.
