CPI (M) writes to EC, demands re-polling in West Tripura and Raniganj, WB constituencies
File Photo
Demanding re polling in 28 poll booths of Raniganj in Bengal, NilotpalBasu, member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit bureau has in a strongly worded letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Aroraalleged rigging and manipulation of the ongoing polls in both Bengal and Tripura. In his letter, he has raised concerns about the polls in West Bengal and Tripura due on April 23, in the third phase of LokSabha elections. Senior CPI(M) leader, MohdSalim is contesting the polls from Raniganj. Other CPI(M) leaders have demanded re-polling in 846 booths of West Tripura.
Expressing “deep sense of disappointment and anguish” over the manner in which Election Commission has presided over the elections held in Tripura West constituency on April 11, 2019, he says that such a level of subversion has rarely happened in the country. The letter also alleges that the EC belatedly took note of the “gravity of the situation” and decided to postpone the elections of the Tripura East (ST) parliamentary constituency which was due for April 18. The election was thus scheduled for April 23.
The EC postponed the polls owing to the “law and order” situation, which it said was not “conducive for free and fair elections.” Just days before the scheduled poll date, severed chicken heads and notes threatening violence to those voters who stood by the left, were found hanging outside several homes.
Basu further highlighted that despite the fact that elections were postponed, “very little was done on the ground on behalf of the Election Commission of India”.
He mentioned in the letter that on an assessment done by the CPI (M), they had found out that re-polling needs to be undertaken in 846 polling booths across the constituency. The senior leader of the CPI(M) has called the elections so far held in West Tripura a “farce”. Shankar Prasad Datta, the CPI (M) candidate from Tripura West had written to the Returning Officer of Tripura West parliamentary constituency demanding re-polling 846 polling booths.
He drew attention to the fact that their complaints stand vindicated as the District Magistrate and Collector of West Tripura district announced the lodging of an FIR against the people responsible for the reported rigging in certain booths which happened with the alleged involvement of polling agents and even polling officials.
However, as per Basu’s letter, many named in the FIR got bail, and some of them got bail from the police station itself.
Basu said that it was already highlighted that the “action process of verification of video footages in the presence of all candidates and their representatives on April 12 and April 13 was also reduced to a farce.”
Basu mentioned in the letter that the RO of the Tripura West PC wasn’t “fit” to undertake polling responsibility and that he was “biased” in shutting down a progressive Bengali daily ‘Desarkatha’ which had to be subsequently restored by judicial order.
Basu also highlighted that there was a need for some measures to be undertaken for ensuring free and fair poll on April 23 and asked the RO that the previous incidents of rigging etc shouldn’t be repeated on April 23.
Regarding the situation in Bengal especially Raniganj PC, there was a similar demand for re-polling in 28 booths in different assembly segments of the constituency.
He highlighted that most of the precautionary arrangements like deployment of central forces, video streaming or CCTV were absent. While sometimes, it wasn’t ensured that there was a backup to power cuts.
The letter also highlighted the attacks on Salim, the candidate from —- on the day of polling on April 18. Basu said that the pattern [of attacks and rigging] was similar to that of Tripura West, only on a “lesser scale.”