KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress has asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to seek the removal of a state civil servant as the Babanipur returning officer, saying the official was close to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari and there was a reasonable likelihood of bias.
The ruling TMC has also red-flagged the appointment of an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from Bihar, Jayant Kant, as a police observer in Malda district for the state elections, pointing out that he was married to Smrity Paswas, a Bihar BJP leader who has contested elections in the past
In two communications to the poll panel, the TMC said officers deployed by ECI must be completely neutral and free from any external influence.
On the appointment of Jayant Kant as a police observer, the TMC letter on Wednesday said, “The close ties between Kant’s wife and the BJP creates reasonable apprehension in the minds of the electorate as well as the contesting candidates and political parties and raises serious doubts with regard to the impartiality of Kant in discharging his official duties as a police observer during the ensuing election. Such proximity of Smrity Paswan with the BJP gives rise to a likelihood of bias in the manner in which Kant may discharge his duties”.
In another letter sent on Tuesday, the TMC urged the poll panel to set aside the appointment of Surajit Roy as the returning officer of Bhabanipur assembly seat in south Kolkata.
The party alleged that Roy was previously posted as the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Nandigram in East Midnapore and shares close links with Suvendu Adhikari, who represents Nandigram in the outgoing assembly.
“It is widely known that (he) is closely associated with Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP. Notably Adhikari is contesting from Bhabanipur assembly seat, thereby giving rise to reasonable likelihood of bias and lack of neutrality in the discharge of Roy’s functions as RO,” the letter said.
The TMC also urged the poll panel to remove Kant and Roy from any election-related duties and bring in “neutral” and “impartial” officers in their place.
“I don’t want to comment. I am on deputation to the EC. If any response is to be given, that would be done by the EC,” Kant told HT.
“I don’t want to comment,” said Roy.
Earlier this month, ECI deployed 478 observers for the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal. While 294 were general observers, one for each of the 294 assembly constituencies, there are also 84 police observers and 100 expenditure observers. The observers have already reached their respective constituencies.
The commission appointed 73 new ROs on Monday.
“These letters reveal how unnerved Mamata Banerjee has become. She knows she will not be able to win this time. Had she been confident of her victory in Bhabanipur, she wouldn’t have bothered about two appointments,” said Rahul Sinha, senior BJP leader.
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