West Bengal TMC Ministers Claim Disrespect During EC Meeting, Demand Fair Voter Treatment
TMC minister alleges CEC misbehavior, raising concerns over voter list deletions in West Bengal.
Controversy arose on Monday during a meeting between a Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation and the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI), led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. According to sources, a minister from the TMC “raised her voice” during the discussion, prompting the CEC to advise her to lower her tone and present demands constructively.
Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge), Chandrima Bhattacharya, later accused the CEC of misbehaving with her, alleging that he had no respect for women. “I am a woman. But even then, during the course of interaction, he told me — ‘Don’t shout’. The CEC should remember that shouting at women or misbehaving with them is not part of his job,” Bhattacharya told reporters. She further criticized the deletion of several women voters from the electoral rolls and questioned why the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) issue could not be discussed despite their approach to the Supreme Court for voter protection.
During the meeting, the ECI refrained from commenting on specific issues under discussion, citing their sub-judice status. Bhattacharya expressed frustration over the commission’s refusal to address the SIR-related concerns during the interaction, questioning the rationale behind convening the meeting.
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State Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor, Firhad Hakim, also part of the delegation, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading misinformation about illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants in West Bengal. He urged the Commission to ensure that no genuine voter is excluded from the electoral rolls during the revision process.
Earlier in the day, the ECI stated that political parties had requested measures to curb voter intimidation and anti-social activities ahead of the elections. Most parties also suggested one or two-phase polling for West Bengal to ensure smooth voting.
The Commission assured that elections in West Bengal will be conducted “as per law” and emphasized its commitment to impartiality, transparency, and free and fair polling, with zero tolerance for violence. The meeting highlighted the heightened tensions between the state government and the Election Commission ahead of the upcoming elections.
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