Kolkata, Feb 18 Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday shared WhatsApp chats allegedly showing the Election Commission of India's (ECI) "complete disregard" for the Supreme Court's orders.
In a post on his X handle, Banerjee shared purported WhatsApp chats of IAS officer C. Murugan, the special electoral roll observer (SERO) appointed for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal's electoral rolls, issuing directions to other officials.
"Is the @ECISVEEP of the view that directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court can be openly FLOUTED? The highest Court of the land has repeatedly emphasised transparency, due process, and adherence to official channels of communication. Yet we are witnessing instructions being circulated over WhatsApp rather than through formal, traceable, and accountable mechanisms," he said.
Banerjee also slammed the use of WhatsApp as a channel of issuing official instructions to officers engaged in SIR duty.
"Even more disturbing are credible reports of Special Roll Observer, C. Murugan, issuing instructions regarding the acceptability of birth certificates directly to Micro Observers in a WhatsApp group, to inflate deletion numbers. Need I remind the ECI of the Supreme Court’s categorical directive that the role of micro-observers must remain strictly assistive? Why, then, is statutory procedure being bypassed, and under whose instructions?" he asked.
The Trinamool Congress MP also slammed the ECI for misusing login data to target people belonging to a certain community.
"Additionally, Roll Observers are designated district-wise, yet it is seen that login credentials linked to these observers are being accessed from a central location in Kolkata. Login Data is being misused to generate queries and specifically target a certain community at the direction of ECI’s political masters in Delhi. Should this matter be independently examined, it will be established that the tower location and IP address of the login device differ from the actual location of the concerned roll observer," he claimed.
Banerjee further said that they would raise the matter in the court. "The Election Commission derives its legitimacy from PUBLIC TRUST, not POLITICAL PATRONAGE. We shall pursue this matter before the highest court of law. Further, any person aligning themselves with or acting at the behest of Zamindars of Delhi will face stringent and uncompromising legal action. Brace yourselves!" he said.
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