Parties urges EC to hold Bengal elections in one or two phases
Kolkata, March 10 -- Representatives of various political parties in West Bengal met the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Kolkata on Monday, with several of them seeking a maximum of two-phase polling for the upcoming assembly elections, the poll body has said, even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused it of threatening the state officials.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, met representatives of the TMC, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, AAP, National People's Party and the Forward Bloc, among others, in Kolkata as part of the poll body's three-day visit to review poll preparedness in the state.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sishir Bajoria said they requested the ECI to conduct the elections in one phase or at most two phases.
Veteran Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said: "We would be happy if the polls are held in one phase."
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, said: "I heard that officers were threatened in the meeting. It is good to have courage but not audacity. Will you remain in your chair after May? First ensure that. Then you can threaten the people and government officials in West Bengal."
An ECI official, however, dismissed the charge.
CEC Kumar told HT that he warned of a zero-tolerance policy against any attempt to disrupt the electoral process....
To read the full article or to get the complete feed from this publication, please
Contact Us.