CPM takes exception to EC order

EC's decision to send poll officers from outside to West Bengal should have applied to other states too, CPM said.

West Bengal's ruling CPI(M) on Friday took strong exception to the Election Commission's decision to depute polling personnel from outside the state, saying that the EC should have applied the rule to other states too.

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"The decision to depute polling personnel from outside the state not only undermines the ability of the state government employees, but also creates a divide between West Bengal and other states, where no such step was taken," former Left Front chief whip and CPI(M) leader Robin Deb told reporters after meeting the full EC in Kolkata.

Deb said he had urged the Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy to reconsider the decision as the EC had given a clean chit to West Bengal on peaceful conduct of polls on earlier occasions.

The CPI(M), he said, had also brought to the notice of the EC a number of instances of violation of the model code of conduct by Nationalist Trinamool Congress leaders like Ajit Panja and Congress leader Sultan Ahmed.