PTIThe ruling TMC in West Bengal Thursday demanded the removal of Sudeep Jain, the deputy election commissioner in-charge of the state, accusing him of being biased against it and breaking norms of the federal structure. TMC spokesperson Sougata Roy said that party leader Derek O' Brien has written to the Election Commission demanding that Jain be removed as he has a "track record" of being biased against it during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
"During the last parliamentary poll Sudeep Jain had taken several steps which were not only against the norms of the Election Commission but also against those of the federal structure. We don't have any faith in him.
"We (TMC) apprehend that this time too he will take steps which will either directly or indirectly help the BJP," Roy said at a press conference here.
"We want him to be removed as in-charge of elections in West Bengal for the sake of free and fair poll. We have already written to the Election Commission where we have placed our demand," he said.
The state election this time, will see a stiff contest between the TMC and BJP and will be held in eight phases beginning with polling in 30 seats on March 27. Votes cast in the poll for all the 294 seats will be counted on May 2.
After having a marginal presence in the politically polarised state for decades, BJP has emerged as the main rival over the last couple of years. It had won 18 out of 42 seats in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 and followed up its quest for strength by inducting TMC MLAs, one of its MPs and ministers into the party.
"During the last parliamentary poll Sudeep Jain had taken several steps which were not only against the norms of the Election Commission but also against those of the federal structure. We don't have any faith in him.
"We (TMC) apprehend that this time too he will take steps which will either directly or indirectly help the BJP," Roy said at a press conference here.
"We want him to be removed as in-charge of elections in West Bengal for the sake of free and fair poll. We have already written to the Election Commission where we have placed our demand," he said.
The state election this time, will see a stiff contest between the TMC and BJP and will be held in eight phases beginning with polling in 30 seats on March 27. Votes cast in the poll for all the 294 seats will be counted on May 2.
After having a marginal presence in the politically polarised state for decades, BJP has emerged as the main rival over the last couple of years. It had won 18 out of 42 seats in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 and followed up its quest for strength by inducting TMC MLAs, one of its MPs and ministers into the party.
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1 Comment on this Story
 | Suresh Kamath46 minutes ago Such Levels of DEMOCRACY cannot be accepted and ANY ONE demands to dictate WHO would Officiate and WHO NOT and it is the EC COMMITTEE and their Head who will have a FINAL SAY and all such ACTS be ruled out IMMEDIATELY or such would set Precedence for all other to CHANGE People at their whims and Fancies at all such NEUTRAL MONITORING OFFICES of ELECTION Commission.Courts Must also NOT try to intervene in such demands unless there are Seriously PROVEN lapse of ANY. Hope and Pray these ELECTION Period would be peaceful and PEOPLE would elect the RIGHT Candidates who WILL serve them and NEVER force them into such a DIRE Situation of the STATE now. jai Hind Jai Sri RAM Vande Mataram |