[Marxistindia] CPI(M) Delegation met CEC

[news from the cpi(m)]

April 15, 2019

 

Press Release

 

A delegation of the CPI(M) led by Shri. Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary,
consisting of  Shri. Nilotpal Basu, member of the Polit Bureau and Shri.
Shankar Prasad Datta, CPI(M) candidate for the  West Tripura parliamentary
constituency met Chief Election Commissioner today. The delegation submitted
two memorandums - one demanding re-poll in 464 booths in West Tripura
constituency and conducting of free and fair election in East Tripura
parliamentary constituency and the other pertaining to the issue of
violation of the Model Code of Conduct and conducting of free and fair
elections in West Bengal.  

 

We are releasing the text of both the memorandums for publication.

 

 

 

 

(Hari Singh Kang)

For CPI(M) Central Committee office

 

Text of memorandum related to Tripura

Dear Shri. Arora ji,

 

With a sense of deep anguish and disappointment, we are forced to draw your
attention to the gross irregularities and to a large extent undermining of
the process of free and fair polls held on 11th April for the 1-Tripura West
parliamentary constituency.

 

We are attaching herewith copies of detailed communications with the
Commission flagging the nature of irregularities that could affect normal
polling. However, all these forewarnings have gone begging. The agreement
reached on 6th March in our meeting with the full Commission on deployment
of the central forces for security of the booths and for the opposition
polling agents and route marches for instilling a sense of confidence among
the common voters have remained conspicuous in its non-implementation on the
ground. Even the security of the two CPI(M) candidates could not be ensured.

 

We hereby attach a set of annexures which include representation from the
CPI(M) candidate for the West Tripura parliamentary constituency, Shri.
Shankar Prasad Datta. We have also attached a large number of statements by
polling agents who were appointed by the chief electoral agent for Shri
Shankar Prasad Datta to the effect that they were forcibly disallowed from
performing their legally ordained responsibility. We have reports that in a
large number of booths, the facility for CC TV coverage and live video
streaming were disabled to wipe out the evidence of the large scale
hooliganism and wrongdoing.

 

But, above all, what was on evidence on 11th April was a complete absence of
central para-military forces to ensure the conduct of a free and fair poll.
Therefore, we strongly urge that the Commission conducts re-poll for the 464
booths in which the elections were completely rigged, the specific booth
numbers and assembly constituency segments have been already made available
for the Commission.

 

The candidate Shri Shankar Prasad Datta had already demanded the video
recordings of large number of booths which will conclusively establish the
nature and extent of wrongdoings. But, for these corrective measures, we
will be inclined to infer that the assurances given to us by the Election
Commission of India for conducting free and fair polls in the state, which
in any case is the Constitutional responsibility under Article 324 of the
Constitution. We would further infer that through its non-action the
Commission has been active to facilitate this wrongdoing by the ruling party
and its goons.

In the light of what had happened in 11 April, we are attaching herewith a
number of representations from Shri. Jitendra Choudhary, the CPI(M)
candidate for 2-Tripura East parliamentary constituency with very specific
suggestions. He has already cautioned the central police observers and the
Returning Officer on these measurers which needs to be undertaken. These
include:

1. Massive patrolling may be conducted in all sensitive Polling Station
areas till the evening of 17th April as confidence building measures for the
voters.

2. All FIR named persons, who are involved into the pre-poll violence should
immediately be arrested and detained till the process of the election is
over.

3. All Polling Stations under the Constituency should be manned by central
forces only and minimum strength should not be not less than 7(seven).

4. More than 3(three) Patrolling Vehicles manned by central forces should be
deployed in all sensitive sectors.

5. In no case, unauthorised persons and voters concerned in the queue should
be allowed to enter into the polling stations, which has happened rampantly
in many booths on 11th April.

6. The flying squads of ECI and Patrolling Vehicles should ensure safe
reporting and return  of the Polling Agents of the Contesting Candidates,
wherever asked for.

7. No outsiders, if not voter of that particular booth or who had already
cast his/her vote should not be allowed to enter the cordoned areas of the
Polling Stations.

8. To check the movement of more than 2(two) motor cycles together and
totally banning outsiders after 5.00 pm.

We urge you with all the strength that we command that the Election
Commission of India is an institution which has over the years evolved as
the principal bulwark for protecting the parliamentary democracy enshrined
in our Constitution. The people of Tripura and that of the country fervently
hope that independent role of the Election Commission of India should not
get discredited.

 

Thanking you,

 

With regards,

 

Yours Sincerely,

S/d
S/d

(Sitaram Yechury)
(Nilotpal Basu)

General Secretary                                               Member,
Polit Bureau

 

Text of memorandum related to West Bengal

Dear Shri Arora ji,

 

We have already brought to your notice that in West Bengal there is an acute
deficit of trust in public perception about the impartiality of the state
administration in the conduct of free and fair polls. In order to further
underline the seriousness of the question, it is necessary to draw your
attention that large number of officials who were allotted polling duty had
collectively aired their concern for their own safety and security and
insisted on the presence of central security forces for ensuring this. It
assumed the proportion of near rebellion which could be finally contained by
specific written assurance from Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state.

 

However, the actual experience of holding election on the 11th April for the
two constituencies of Alipurduar ST and Coochbehar belied the hope that the
common voters had invested in the Election Commission of India (ECI). Again,
as in the case of Tripura, the conspicuous absence of the central security
forces, both in creating a sense of confidence and ensuring free and fair
polls on the polling day was largely visible.

 

Therefore, we are attaching herewith a set of documents which contain
information on some of the compelling concerns. The specific issues that
need to be drawn attention to is the instances of attacks on the security
and opportunity of trouble free campaigning of at least four CPI(M) and Left
candidates, Shri. Gauranga Chatterjee in Asansol Parliamentary Constituency,
Dr. Faud Halim in Diamond Harbour PC, Shri. Pallav Sen Gupta in Basirhat PC,
and Dr. Rizawul Kareem in Birbhoom PC. In all these cases, surprisingly, the
security for the candidates were not to be seen neither was the facility of
videography of the campaign trial of the candidate in evidence.

 

The CPI(M) had already brought to the notice of the Chief Electoral Officer
(CEO) of West Bengal that contractual employees who are largely dependent on
the whims and fancies of the state ruling party ought not to be deployed for
polling duty. Unfortunately, this has also not been taken cognizance of. As
part of the Annexures, we are also furnishing the details of a large number
of booths in Raiganj PC which need special attention and manning by the
central forces for the sake of holding free and fair poll.

 

Finally, as we are to inform that, similar to the complaint that we had to
launch on the biopic of Shri. Narendra Modi, we are drawing your attention
to the unlawful circulation of the trailer of the biopic of Smt. Mamata
Banerjee, Chief of the All India Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister of
West Bengal in a flagrant violation of Model Code of Conduct.

We hope that the Commission will act on these issues with the urgency they
demand.

 

Thanking you,

 

With regards,

 

Yours sincerely,

 

S/d
S/d

(Sitaram Yechury)
(Nilotpal Basu)

General Secretary
Member, Polit Bureau

 

 

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