Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) is reportedly miffed at delayed action by two District Magistrates, also the District Electoral Officers (DEOs), in West Bengal in addressing instances of tension and vandalism earlier this week at two centres for hearing on claims and objections on the draft voters’ list.
One instance of vandalism was at a hearing centre at Farakka in minority-dominated Murshidabad district, where ruling Trinamool Congress activists led by party legislator from Farakka Assembly constituency, Manirul Islam, allegedly orchestrated the action.
Although the Commission directed the District Magistrate, as well as the DEO of Murshidabad to register an FIR against Islam by Thursday and also intimate the ECI about the compliance by the same day, there had been no report of compliance with the ECI’s order in the matter till Saturday morning, confirmed insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.
A similar instance of non-compliance has surfaced in the case of another incident of vandalism, this time at Itahar in North Dinajpur district earlier this week. The Commission had sought a detailed report from the DEO concerned on the matter at the earliest. However, till Saturday morning, there was no compliance with that direction.
An insider from the CEO’s office said that the Commission had communicated to the DEOs in the state not to take matters of vandalism at the hearing centres lightly and to instantly register FIRs with the local police stations in such matters.
“The Commission had also cautioned the District Electoral Officers that non-compliance in this direction and unnecessary delay in registering the FIR in such matters might even lead to disciplinary actions against them,” a CEO’s office insider said.
Incidentally, on Friday, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, accused the ECI of going soft over the hindrances faced in conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), especially as regards the frequent reports of hooliganism at hearing centres, allegedly by people of the ruling party.
Adhikari also questioned why the Commission was not deploying Central Armed Police Forces personnel at the hearing centres.
“The Constitution of India has given the ECI the highest authority. If they want, they can deploy the central forces without consulting anyone. The Commission can even deploy the Army if it wants,” LoP Adhikari said
–IANS
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