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Calcutta HC dismiss TMC's plea against use of central employees as counting supervisors
TMC had alleged that the Central government employees are likely to be influenced by the control of the BJP, which is in power at the Centre.
Calcutta High Court on Thursday reportedly dismissed a petition by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) against the Chief Electoral Officer's decision to deploy only Central government employees as vote-counting supervisors in the assembly elections. Dismissing TMC's claims that the employees will be susceptible to control by the BJP, the court said that micro observers, counting agents of the candidates, and other personnel will also be in the room.
TMC had alleged that the Central government employees are likely to be influenced by the control of the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, Bar and Bench reported.
Justice Krishna Rao dismissed these allegations and said that the counting supervisor and the counting assistants are the only ones who will not be in the counting room.
“Micro observers, counting agents of the candidates who are contesting the election and counting personnel will also be in the counting room,” the court said, adding that therefore it is "impossible" to believe the allegation made by the petitioner.
The court also observed that it did not find any ‘illegality’ in EC appointing a counting supervisor and a counting assistant from the Central Government.
Court says TMC can file election petition with proof
The Court also added that TMC can further file an election petition if it can prove that the central government employees are helping BJP candidates by manipulating votes.
"The petitioner has the liberty to take all the points in the election petition," the Bench said.
This development comes as polling concluded in West Bengal and the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
A petition moved earlier by TMC challenged the additional chief electoral officer's order, mentioning that “at least one among the counting supervisor and counting assistant at each counting table shall be a Central Government/Central PSU employee.”
The advocate representing TMC argued that the electoral officer does not have jurisdiction to pass such an order, while the opposite side submitted that all appointments were made according to the procedure.
