EC did not heed state plea under pressure from Centre

Trinamool leader and state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee today alleged that the Election Commission did not accept the states appeal to defer revision of electoral role because of political pressure from the Centre.

Trinamool leader and state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee today alleged that the Election Commission did not accept the states appeal to defer revision of electoral role because of political pressure from the Centre.

Mukherjees comment came after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees wish to advance the panchayat poll received a jolt because of the Election Commissions refusal to put the electoral roll revision process in West Bengal on hold.

The state government wanted the EC to hold the work on the ground that the district officials,who are now busy in panchayat election-related work,would be overburdened if they are engaged in electoral roll revision. But the EC informed the state government in writing that it cannot agree to the appeal.

Training guns on the EC,Mukherjee said the move might have been prompted by the Trinamools withdrawal of support from UPA II.

The chief secretary had written to the Election Commission requesting it to hold the revision of electoral roll. He sent the letter after speaking to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal who had said that the revision can be deferred. Politics started after the chief secretarys letter reached the EC. I have information that the EC was in a mood to accept our proposal. But they succumbed to political pressure, Mukherjee said.

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