The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued a notice to BJP asking its president Amit Shah to explain by September 25 remarks by his party's West Bengal chief that poll panel is now under party's control. Banerjee, while addressing a rally in Mayureshwar, Birbhum, on Sunday, had said that his party has "control over the Election Commission" and it would ensure adequate deployment of central forces to oversee elections in West Bengal. He added that if BJP won elections in Bihar, it will "run a bulldozer" in Bengal on the next elections. Although the BJP has already distanced itself from this statement and even regretted the comment, the poll panel, sources said, felt such a remark could hurt its public image. [related-post] "The EC cannot afford to have its neutral character under attack. A notice will work as a warning for all political parties and also send out the right message to the public," said an EC official, who is not authorised to speak to the media. The notice will be served to the party by Tuesday evening, latest. The poll panel, officials said, could publicise BJP's response on its website for damage control.
