Mamata Banerjee talks to additional CEO of Bengal via chief secy’s mobile, LoP complains to ECI

Kolkata, Nov 21 The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of interacting daily with the Additional Chief Electoral Officer of the state, Arun Prasad, using the mobile phone of the state Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant.

He has handed over a complaint on this count to the four-member central ECI team, led by Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, which is currently on a four-day visit to West Bengal to review the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) by the Commission in the state, the first stage of which started on November 4.

However, the office of the CEO, West Bengal, had denied making any comment on the allegations levelled by Adhikari.

“Since he had complained directly to the visiting central ECI delegation, the CEO’s office would not make any comment on it. Any reaction in the matter will only come from ECI’s headquarters in New Delhi,” a CEO’s office insider said.

In his deputation to the central ECI team, the Leader of the Opposition also placed the demand for making arrangements so that the names of the Hindu refugees coming to West Bengal from neighbouring Bangladesh could be included in the voter list.

“I feel that it is the responsibility of the Commission to include the names of Hindu refugees in the voter list, while ensuring that the names of the illegal infiltrators are deleted from that list,” Adhikari said.

Meanwhile, a training programme for checking the EVMs and VVPATs to be used in the West Bengal Assembly polls next year was conducted at New Town on the northern outskirts of Kolkata on Friday, in the presence of the central ECI delegation and CEO, West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal. The training was given by the experts from the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).

“Throughout the day, experts provided training and explained the complete life cycle of EVMs and VVPATs. Detailed discussions were held on various protocols, including machine operation, randomisation, commissioning, poll procedures, counting, and post-counting processes,” a statement issued by the CEO's office read.

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