WB panchayat polls results won't reflect people's will: CPI-M

Alleging "large scale state- sponsored rigging" in the West Bengal panchayat polls, CPI(M) today said the results would not reflect the will of the people due to the "determined subversion" of the electoral process by the ruling Trinamool Congress.
"At no time has such a brazen attack and perversion of the democratic process of elections taken place in West Bengal or in the entire country. The results of such a rigged election can only be a distorted one," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told a press conference here.
Accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of "violating and defying" orders of the Supreme Court and the State Election Commission (SEC), he said the panchayat elections have "led to an unprecedented situation. The entire election has been marred by widespread attacks, intimidation and rigging".

Despite verdicts of the apex court and the SEC, the state government "did everything to undermine these decisions. The Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself declared that central police forces need not be deployed".
"Shockingly, Bengal ministers publicly threatened the State Election Commissioner and warned her of dire consequences. Defying the court order, the central police forces were not deployed at the polling stations with a few exceptions," Karat said, adding no action was taken against these ministers.
While Trinamool candidates won unopposed in 6,191 seats as Left candidates could not file their nominations, around 6,000 CPI(M) and Left Front candidates were "physically prevented" from filing nominations, he said, adding that 4,470 booths were completely captured and another few thousands partially captured by "Trinamool goons".

Asked whether they would move the Supreme Court or the Election Commission, he said further course of action would be decided after the results were announced.