Left to intensify demand for review of EC's powers

The CPI-M, which is also unhappy with EC over the OoP issue, will discuss the matter in next session of Parliament.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has been at loggerheads with the Election Commission, is all set to intensify its demand for a review of the poll panel's powers.

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The CPI-M, which along with three other Left parties supports Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's multi-party government from outside, will press for a discussion on the powers given to the Election Commission in the next session of the Parliament.

"The party will release a document in which we will specify our demands and views on the issue," senior CPI-M leader Nilotpal Basu said.

The CPI-M had criticised the Election Commission's decision to hold April-May Assembly elections in the party-ruled states of West Bengal and Kerala in multiple phases, while Tamil Nadu, which is almost thrice the geographical size of Kerala, had a one-day election.

The party won both states with a landslide majority.

The CPI-M was also angry with the Election Commission over the office of profit controversy.

It criticised the poll panel for posting on its website complaints against CPI-M MPs, including Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, on grounds of holding offices of profit.

The party had written to President APJ Abdul Kalam on the issue.