Bengal SEC verifying CM's barb at state poll panel

The State Election Commission today said it has collected video recordings of verbal attacks by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and one of her ministers against the poll panel and was verifying it.

"We have received video recordings of their statements and are verifying if these are true as reported," SEC secretary Tapas Roy told PTI. Earlier, State Election Commissioner Mira Pandey had said the recording had been sought and a decision would be taken after reviewing it.

To a question if the Commission had taken note of the Chief Minister's claim at Lalgarh yesterday that she would have removed the State Election Commissioner had her party enjoyed two-thirds majority in the state Assembly, Commission sources said, "We are verifying it."

Mamata Banerjee had also alleged that the SEC was taking unilateral decisions without consulting the state government on holding the panchayat polls. The Commission has taken note of state transport minister Madan Mitra's anti-SEC comments at a rally in West Midnapore district on Sunday.

Mitra had said the SEC would have to 'wear bangles and earrings and hide behind a veil' after the polls. The Commission secretary said, complaints about violation of the poll panel's order of a ban on taking out motorbike processions without special police permission, was also been received. "We have taken cognisance of such complaints from Burdwan district and asked the administration to take appropriate action against violation of the Commission's orders," he said.