Mamata Banerjee 'misbehaved, thumped table' at EC meeting: Sources

ECI sources claim WB CM Mamata Banerjee 'misbehaved' and 'thumped the table' in a meeting with the CEC. CEC Gyanesh Kumar reportedly responded politely that the 'rule of law shall prevail' and anyone breaking it will be dealt with strictly.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar responded to the queries of Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who led a party delegation to EC, and explained to them that rule of law shall prevail in the SIR process and anybody taking law into their own hands shall be dealt with strictly as per rules, ECI sources said on Monday.

Heated Exchange at Election Commission

The sources said that despite the polite posture of the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners, the Trinamool Congress leader "raised false allegations, misbehaved, thumped the table and left".

"The CEC responded to her queries and explained that rule of law shall prevail and anybody taking law into their own hands shall be dealt with strictly as per the provisions of law and powers vested in the Commission," a source said.

ECI Sources Allege Threats, Interference by TMC

The sources said that TMC MLAs are openly using abusive and threatening language against the Election Commission and specially against the CEC. They are also threatening the election officials, the sources said.

"There have been incidents of vandalisation of the ERO (SDO/BDO) Offices by TMC workers/MLAs," a source said.

The sources said that no pressure, obstruction, or interference of any kind by anyone should be exerted on officers engaged in work concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Commission Flags Administrative Lapses by State Govt

They said that honorarium payable to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) should be released in a timely manner without any further delay, noting that only Rs 7,000 out of Rs18,000 per BLO has been paid as of now.

They said that EROs/AEROs provided for deployment are not of the level of SMs/Tehsildars. The sources said the Commission has requested a proposal for the appointment of Returning Officers on January 20 as per the criteria (SM/SDO/Revenue Divisional Officer from General Administration). At present only in 67 Assembly Constituencies ROs are of the rank of SDO/SDM, they said.

The sources said West Bengal government has transferred three Electoral Roll Observes without consulting ECI. They said the ECI had requested for cancellation of transfer orders on January 27 but no action has been reported so far.

The sources also said that West Bengal Government has not registered FIR against four officers (two ERO and two AERO) and one Data Entry Operator "for their failure to perform their statutory duties and for violating data security policies by sharing log-in credentials with unauthorised persons".

Mamata Banerjee Accuses CEC of Arrogance

Talking to reporters outside the Election Commission, Mamata Banerjee targeted Gyanesh Kumar. "I am very sad. I have been involved in politics in Delhi for a very long time. I was a minister 4 times and an MP 7 times. I have never seen such an Election Commissioner who is so arrogant, who is such a liar. I told him that I respect your chair because no chair is permanent for anyone. One day you have to go... Why Bengal is being targeted. Elections are a festival in a democracy, but you deleted the names of 58 lakh people and did not allow them to defend themselves," she alleged.

West Bengal will face polls in the first half of this year. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)