News Analysis India

Tag: Election Commission

  • Bengal polls: Another police observer arrives in state, Howrah SP removed

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Another police observer for the assembly elections in West Bengal Anil Kumar Sharma arrived here on Wednesday to oversee preparedness for the polls, a source at the CEO’s office said.

    The Election Commission had on Monday appointed Sharma, a retired IPS officer, as the new police observer.

    The poll panel had earlier appointed Ajay V Nayak as the special general observer and Vivek Dubey as the special police observer.

    They have been holding meetings with government officials to overview poll preparedness and take stock of the law and order situation in the state.

    “The new police observer will meet the officials soon,” the source at the office of chief electoral officer said.

    B Murli Kumar has also been appointed as the special expenditure observer.

    Elections to the 294 assembly seats in West Bengal will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29.

    Votes will be counted on May 2.

    Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Wednesday removed the superintendent of Howrah (Rural) Soumya Roy aS Trinamool Congress has nominated his wife, actor Lovely Moitra as candidate for Sonarpur Dakshin assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district for the coming Assembly poll in West Bengal, an official said.

    Roy was replaced by Shrihari Pandey and will not be allowed any poll duty this time, he said.

    “The transfer is based on a general principle that close relatives of active public representatives may not be assigned such duties during elections which may create perception of biases/partiality,” the poll body official said.

    The EC asked state chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay to confirm that all senior officials connected with the conduct of elections have given the certificate that they are not a close relative of any of the contesting candidates in the coming assembly poll in West Bengal.

    The EC should be informed immediately if there is any such case, the communication said.

    Incidentally soon after Moitra was named as the TMC candidate by party supremo Mamata Banerjee on March 5 the EC had received several complaints questioning how her husband could continue as the SP of Howrah (Rural).

    In another directive the EC said that if an officer needed to leave his/her headquarter then specific written permission of the chief secretary has to be obtained before they do so during the election period.

    The chief secretary should ensure that such officers do not get involved in any way with political activities of their spouses, it added.

  • Election Commission transfers senior Bengal cop as his wife contests polls

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Wednesday transferred Superintendent of Police, Howrah (Rural) Saumya Roy to a non-election related post since his wife has been declared Trinamool Congress’s candidate for Sonarpur Dakshin assembly seat.

    The poll panel has now posted Shrihari Pandey, an IPS officer of 2011 batch, as SP, Howrah (Rural).

    “It may be noted that the transfer of the officer is based on a general principle that close relatives of active public representatives may not be assigned such duties during elections, which may create any perception of biases/partiality,” the EC told the West Bengal chief secretary in a communication.

    The poll panel also asked him to confirm that all senior officials connected with conduct of elections have given the certificate that they are not a close relative of any of the contesting candidates in the current assembly election in West Bengal.

    “If there is any such case, it may be reported to the Commission immediately,” it said.

  • EC proposal to link electoral roll with the Aadhaar under consideration: Govt in LS

    The poll panel was then collecting Aadhaar number as part of its National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP).

  • Election to three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala on April 12

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Election to three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala falling vacant next month will be held on April 12, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.

    Abdul Wahab of the IUML, K K Ragesh of the CPI-M and Vayalar Ravi of the Congress are retiring on April 21, the Commission said.

    The notification for the biennial elections will be issued on March 24.

    As per practice, votes will counted in the evening of April 12 after conclusion of polling at 4 pm.

    Members of legislative assembly elect Rajya Sabha members.

    The MLAs of the outgoing assembly, in which the ruling LDF has a majority, will elect the three new members.

    Kerala assembly elections will be held on April 6 and counting will take place on May 2.

  • ‘Do not belittle institution with repeated innuendos’: EC warns Mamata Banerjee

    The Election Commission concurred with its two poll observers that there was no pre-meditated attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram.

  • EC appoints retired IPS Anil Sharma as fouth observer for Bengal polls

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Election Commission on Monday appointed a fourth observer for poll-bound West Bengal for the coming ensuing assembly election, a source at the office of the CEO here said.

    The EC has appointed retired IPS officer Anil Kumar Sharma as the new police observer, he said.

    “We have three observers working here in West Bengal. Another police observer has been appointed and he will be reaching the city on March 17,” the official said.

    “We already have observers at places where the election is slated in the first and second phases (March 27 and April 1)” he added.

    The EC has already appointed Ajay V Nayak as the special general observer and Vivek Dubey as special police.

    B Murli Kumar has been appointed as the special expenditure observer.

    Meanwhile, the CEO has received at least 176 nominations for the second phase of polling in 30 constituencies.

    TMC and BJP have filed nominations for all the 30 seats, CPI(M) in 15, Congress in 9, BSP in 7, Left Front constituents AIFB in 2 and CPI 2, he said.

    Nominations have also been filed by 34 independents and 47 others, he added.

    Monday was the day for scrutinising nominations for the second phase of the elections.

  • Assam Election: Nomination papers of 28 candidates of second phase rejected during scrutiny

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The nomination papers of the 28 of the total 408 candidates for the second phase of Assam assembly polls have been rejected during scrutiny, a spokesperson of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said on Tuesday.

    Altogether 408 candidates had filed their nominations for the 39 constituencies going to polls on April one and 28 of these were rejected during scrutiny on Monday, the spokesperson said.

    The last date of withdrawal for the second phase is March 17.

    Meanwhile, seven candidates have filed their nominations so far for the third and final phase of polls, scheduled on March six and these include Kokrajhar Lok Sabha MP Naba Kumar Sarania from Barama as an Independent and former three-time AGP MLA Bhupen Roy from Abhayapuri North.

    The last date of filing of nominations for the third phase is March 19, scrutiny is on March 20 and the last date for withdrawal on March 22.

    There are 267 contestants in the fray for the first phase of elections to 47 constituencies to be held on March 27.

    The prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase are Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal (Majuli), Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami (Jorhat), ministers Ranjit Dutta (Behali), Naba Kumar Doley (Jonai) and Sanjoy Kishan (Tinsukia), along with AGP ministers Atul Bora (Bokakhat) and Keshab Mahanta (Kaliabor).

    Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Ripun Bora (Gohpur), Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia (Nazira), AICC secretary Bhupen Borah (Bihpuria) and former ministers Bharat Narah (Naoboicha), Pranatee Phukan (Naharkatiya), Rakibul Hussain (Samaguri) and Bismita Gogoi (Khumtai) are contesting in the first phase.

    Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi from Duliajan and Naharkatia seats, jailed anti-CAA activist and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi from Sibsagar and former Congress minister Ajanta Neog as a BJP candidate, from Golaghat are also in the fray in the first phase In the second phase, the prominent contesting candidates are BJP, ministers Parimal Suklabaidya (Dholai), Bhabesh Kalita (Rangia), Pijush Hazarika (Jagiroad) and Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar (Sonai).

    Former Congress minister Gautam Roy who joined the saffron party is contesting from Katigorah on a BJP ticket while his son Rahul Roy and daughter-in-law Daisy Roy are contesting as independents from Udharbond and Algapur respectively.

    Former Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, who resigned from the BJP after he was denied a ticket, is contesting as an independent from Silchar, Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary (Panery) and former Asam Sahitya Sabha President Paramananda Rajbongshi (Sipajhar) are contesting as BJP candidates and BPF Minister Rihon Daimary (Udalguri) is also in the fray for the second phase polls.

  • ‘Demand high-level probe’: Trinamool disagrees with EC’s ‘no attack’ on Mamata observation

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The TMC said on Sunday it disagrees with the Election Commission’s observation that there was no pre-meditated attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram and demanded a high- level probe into the incident, insisting the inquiry by election observers lacks credibility.

    However, party spokesperson Sougata Roy expressed satisfaction that the EC agreed that there were security lapses and took action against some officials.

    Earlier Sunday, the Election Commission concurred with the reports sent by its two special poll observers and the state government that there was no pre-meditated attack on the TMC supremo on Wednesday, indicating that her injuries were the result of a security lapse.

    The poll panel ordered that Director (Security) Vivek Sahay, an IPS officer, be removed from his post and placed under suspension immediately.

    The Superintendent of Police of Purba Medinipur Pravin Prakash was also suspended, while District Magistrate Vibhu Goel was transferred.

    “We disagree with the EC’s observation based on the report of special election observers that there was no attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The report of the election observers lacks credibility and fails to inspire confidence. We reiterate our demand for a high-level probe into the incident,” Roy said.

    ALSO READ | BJP asks EC to make Mamata Banerjee’s treatment history public

    Reacting to the removal of officials by the EC over security lapses, Roy said, “It is good that at least they have accepted that there were security lapses.

    “It is a welcome move that the EC has removed the officials over security lapses. At least they have taken some action. We had raised this question as to how there were lapses in the security of the chief minister,” he said.

    After reviewing the reports sent by its two special poll observers–Ajay Naik and Vivek Dube– and the state government, the EC concluded that Banerjee sustained injuries prima facie due to a lapse on the part of her security in- charge, sources in the poll panel said.

    ALSO READ | Mamata should apologise to Nandigram people for false claims over ‘attack’ incident: BJP MP Locket Chatterjee

    While Banerjee was using an ordinary vehicle, her director of security Vivek Sahay was in a bulletproof car when the incident took place.

    Also, no approval was taken from the returning officer of the area where the incident took place, the sources said.

    Due to this, poll officials could not deploy videographers or flying squads, they added.

  • Mamata Banerjee injury: Director Security, SP suspended, DM removed over Nandigram incident

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday suspended director of security, West Bengal government, and superintendent of police, East Midnapore, in connection with the incident in which chief minister Mamata Banerjee was injured in Nandigram on March 10. The ECI also removed the district magistrate of East Midnapore.

    The ECI said the decision of suspending two IPS officers and removing an IAS was taken on the basis of reports submitted by the chief secretary West Bengal, special general observer Ajay Nayak and special police officer Vivek Dubey. The Commission found the two suspended officers found the two suspended officers failed to protect the Bengal CM.

    Mamata received injuries on her left foot while greeting her supporters standing on the footboard of her vehicle and got sandwiched between the front door and seat of the car because of pressure from the crowd. Initially, she described the incident as a fall out of conspiracy but next day, in a video message from SSKM hospital, she distanced herself from her allegation and said the crowd came close to her car and she got crushed.

    ALSO READ | Injuries sustained by Mamata Banerjee not result of attack: Election Commission

    In a report to the ECI by the two special observers, it was said that the incident was an accident, not an attack and held the police arrangement responsible for the event.

    In a statement, the ECI said Vivek Sahay shall be removed from the post of director security and be placed under suspension immediately. ‘’The charges must be framed against him within a week for grossly failing in discharge of his primary duty as director security to protect the Z+ protectee,’’ the statement says.

    The Commission also directed to frame charges against police superintendent Pravin Prakash immediately for major failure of bandobast.

    The ECI also instructed to identify other security personnel who were in close proximity of the Bengal CM. ‘’A committee of Chief Secretary and DGP shall identify within next three days the other proximate security personnel below director security, who failed in their duties to prevent the incident and protect the Z+ protectee  VVIP and take suitable action for their failure under intimation to the Commission by 1700 hours on 17th March, 2021,’’ the ECI said.

  • Injuries sustained by Mamata Banerjee not result of attack: Election Commission

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has ruled out that there was any attack on West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee that led to her injuries, sources in the poll body said on Sunday.

    After reviewing the reports sent by its two special poll observers and the state government, the Commission concluded that Banerjee sustained injuries due to lapse on part of her security in charge.

    The EC will issue directions in this regard, the sources aware of the development said.

    They said Banerjee was not using a bulletproof or an armoured vehicle despite being a star campaigner and it was a lapse on part of those responsible for her security.

    Banerjee fell down and sustained injuries on her left leg and waist.

    There were allegations that she was pushed by unidentified people while she was campaigning in Nandigram assembly segment on Wednesday evening after filing her nomination from the constituency.