'EC has the proper medicines for fair polls'

Asserting that the Election Commission was not afraid of anyone, its special observer to West Bengal Sudhir Kumar Rakesh Tuesday said the poll panel has proper "medicines" to ensure peaceful and fair polls.

"You know how elections are conducted in India. EC knows how to go about it. We have the proper medicine and are not afraid of anything," said Rakesh responding to media queries regarding alleged threats by Trinamool Congress Birbhum district president, Anubrata Mandal.

The EC earlier had show-caused Mandal for using offensive words during a party workers' meeting.

Rakesh said he will be visiting Birbhum where elections are scheduled April 30.

AMeanwhile state chief electoral officer Sunil Gupta is looking into remarks made by the Transport Minister Madan Mitra where he had directed certain comments at family members of President Pranab Mukherjee.

Addressing a rally April 20 in Burdwan district's Ketugram, Mitra had leveled allegations regarding the Saradha chit fund scam against the family members of a former "Congress leader who holds highest office of the country".

"The Commission has received a report from the district magistrate in the matter," an election official said.