KOLKATA: A Trinamool Congress delegation led by former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha met Election Commission officials here on Friday and requested them to address the electronic voting machine (EVM) glitches issue and alleged violence by BJP workers during polling in Nandigram.
The delegation of the Trinamool Congress leader, which included MP Derek O'Brien, met the CEO of the Election Commission in West Bengal and also submitted a two-page memorandum.
Speaking to mediapersons, Sinha said, "We have requested the Election Commission to address the EVM issue and violence by BJP workers." He said that it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polls.
Sinha said that despite their tactics, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee will win from Nandigram and the party will secure victory in the first two phases.
The Trinamool Congress in its memorandum said: "We are constrained to write to the poll panel expressing our disapproval of the manner in which elections were conducted during phase one and phase two of the 60 assembly constituencies."
The memorandum said that democracy is an essential feature of the Constitution and as such unassailable. "The EC was formed and is under a duty to ensure that the democratic setup is upheld by ensuring that the right to vote and the right to participate in the democratic process is duly preserved," it said.
The TrinamoolCOngress in its memorandum raised the issue of the alleged rampant violence by members of the BJP and also the dereliction of duties by the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and acting on the instructions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
On Thursday during voting for the second phase, Banerjee camped at a polling station in Nandigram for several hours and alleged that voters were being stopped from exercising their franchise. The Trinamool Congress in its memorandum said, "CAPF, under instructions of Home Minister, has acted in a complete departure from its duty to act impartially, by being a mute spectator to continual violence perpetrated by the BJP and intimidation of electors voting for the Trinamool Congress."
The party also asked the election watchdog to pass appropriate directions to the CAPF to "maintain the sanctity of elections" and "act in a non-partisan manner". It said: "Ensure that CAPF personnel against whom complaints have been filed during Phases 1 and 2 are not deployed for any election-related activity in the upcoming phases." (IANS)
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