The Election Commission on Tuesday, 16 March, penned a prompt response to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had, at a rally in Bankura, commented about the poll body “working under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s influence”.
The EC’s letter cited the report on the controversial Nandigram incident leading to Banerjee’s injury and said that Banerjee’s continued aspersions on the poll body by seeking meetings are “an attempt to belittle the institution of the Commission”.
Following the replacement of the state police chief by the EC, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the EC have been in a hostile engagement.
In a curt letter, Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain wrote, “Notwithstanding the above meetings in Kolkata and in Delhi, if it is stated by the honourable CM that the commission should meet political parties, it is only an attempt to belittle the institution of Commission with repeated innuendos and averments.”