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In letter to CEC, Mamata lists two ‘disturbing’ issues: ‘Is this being done at behest of political party?'
This comes amid the ongoing SIR in West Bengal, which has led to a massive political row between the ruling TMC and the BJP in the state.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has written a fresh letter to chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding two “disturbing yet urgent developments” and asking if they have been done “under pressure from a political party”. This comes days after she wrote another letter to the CEC listing concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state.
The ongoing SIR in the state has already led to a massive political row, especially after the death of some booth level officers (BLOs) in various states, including Bengal. The ruling TMC has already accused the ECI of ‘acting to appease a political party’, while the BJP has questioned Banerjee over “fearing the removal of infiltrators” from the voter list.
Inside Mamata Banerjee’s letter to CEC
In the latest letter, the TMC supremo has raised two separate concerns related to the Election Commission’s ongoing SIR-related work, the first being an alleged order by the commission to not engage contractual data-entry operators and Bangla Sahyata Kendra (BSK) staff for the SIR-related or election-related data work.
She wrote that the chief electoral officer, West Bengal, has instead floated a request to “outsource” 1,000 data-entry operators and 50 software developers for a year.
She asked, “When district offices already have a substantial number of competent professionals performing such functions, what necessitates the CEO's initiative to outsource the same work through an external agency for a full year?”
“Is this exercise being undertaken at the behest of a political party to serve vested interests? The timing and, manner of this RfP certainly raise legitimate doubts,” the CM wrote.
The second issue Banerjee flagged in her letter is the ECI allegedly considering setting up polling stations inside private residential complexes. “This proposal is deeply problematic,” she said.
Banerjee wrote that private buildings are typically avoided as they “compromise fairness, violate established norms, and create discriminatory distinctions between privileged residents and the general public the haves and have-nots.”
She questioned the poll body again for working “under pressure from a political party to advance their partisan interests?”
“The implications of such a decision would have severe impact on the fairness of the electoral process. I urge you to examine these issues with utmost seriousness, impartiality, and transparency. It is essential that the dignity, neutrality, and credibility of the Commission remain above reproach and are not compromised under any circumstances,” the chief minister concluded.
TMC vs BJP over SIR in Bengal
This comes amid the ongoing SIR in West Bengal, which has led to a massive political row between the ruling TMC and the BJP in the state.
Mamata Banerjee described the SIR exercise as “unplanned, chaotic and dangerous” in a previous letter to the CEC. Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari attacked the Bengal CM, claiming that she is trying to protect her “vote bank of ineligible and illegal elements”.
