BJP accuses WB CEO of acting in 'partisan' way, seeks his

Accusing the West Bengal Chief Election Officer (CEO) of acting in a "partisan" manner during the on-going Assembly polls in the state, BJP today sought his immediate removal and demanded that the polls in the nine Assembly constituencies of Birbhum district be countermanded.
A four-member BJP delegation comprising Union Minister Nirmala Seetharaman, Member of Parliament Bhupendra Yadav, party national secretary Shrikant Sharma and Om Pathak today met the Election Commissioners and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
"We request the Commission to take immediate and stern steps to ensure that the supremacy, neutrality and effectiveness of the Election Commission is not compromised. The CEO who is unabashedly allowing the TMC to flagrantly violate the constitutional mandate, electoral laws and Commissions' orders be shifted without any delay," BJP said in its memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner.

The EC had decided to issue a show cause notice to TMC for the alleged violation of model code of conduct by its party chief, it said, adding that the notice, instead of being issued to the TMC, was served on Banerjee in her capacity as Chief Minister, intentionally and mischievously, by the Chief Electoral Officer.
"This, we see, as a clear attempt to undermine and negate the directions of the Election Commission and hoodwink the other contesting parties," BJP said.
Alleging that this was not the first incident when the state CEO has acted in "biased and partisan" manner, BJP demanded that the TMC be warned by the EC for "gross and audacious" violation of constitutional provisions, electoral laws and directions of the Election Commission.

"The Election Commissioners, during their recent visit to West Bengal had passed an order of house arrest of Anubrato Mondal, the TMC district head of Birbhum.
In clear and gross violation and defiance of ECI orders and encouraged by the TMC chief, Mondal continued his unconstitutional and unlawful activities of spreading terror by touring all the nine assembly constituencies in his district. (Therefore) elections in nine assembly constituencies of Birbhum district be countermanded," it said.