AMN /
Election Commission has asked the BJP to explain its position with regards to the statement made by the leader of its West Bengal Unit, Joy Banerjee. Mr Banerjee at a public meeting at Birbhum District of the State had said on September 20th that BJP has control over the Election Commission.
He had also spoken about the security arrangements during the Assembly elections in the West Bengal due next year. In a letter addressed to BJP President Amit Shah, the Commission has sought a reply in this regard by Friday.
The Poll panel observed that Mr Banerjee’s statement amounts to denigrating the integrity of the Commission. It said, the statement can distort public perception about the neutrality, autonomy and independence of the Election Commission.
The Commission has also sent a CD containing recording of the public speech of West Bengal BJP leader and press clippings from some of the prominent National Dailies carrying the news items along with the letter.
“Joy Banerjee’s remark denigrates EC’s integrity, can distort public perception of its neutrality, autonomy and independence,” the poll panel said.
The poll panel has now directed Shah to explain the BJP’s position as regards Banerjee’s statement by Friday. The EC will decide on further course of action after perusing the BJP’s reply, which will most probably disown Banerjee’s remarks.
Incidentally, the Prime Minister had in his radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ aired in Sunday praised the EC for the higher voter turnouts. He said the poll panel was earlier “just a regulator..but over the last few years, the Election Commission has been instrumental in bringing about a change in the mindset of voters. It is now not only a regulator but also a facilitator… It is a welcome change”.