``IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION'': Chief Election Commissioner B. B. Tandon addresses the media at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Wednesday. — Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

KOLKATA: Brushing aside reservations about holding a five-phase Assembly election in West Bengal, Chief Election Commissioner B. B. Tandon said here on Wednesday that the "sole objective behind the decision was to ensure a peaceful, free and fair poll." He added that poll preparations in the State "were going in the right direction."

Mr. Tandon was addressing media persons along with two Election Commissioners, Navin Chawla and N. Gopalaswami, and Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan.

"We are [also] aware [of] some unwarranted criticism on the role of observers. The Election Commission is not happy about it and strongly refutes them [the charges]," he added. Such criticism "will prevent neither the Commission nor its observers from discharging their constitutional duties," Mr. Tandon said.

CPI(M) displeasure

A section of the State leadership of the Communist Party of India [Marxist] recently expressed its displeasure with both the election schedule and the role of observers in West Bengal.

Election officials "should be totally neutral and provide a level-playing field to all contestants. Anyone found wanting will be suitably dealt with by the Election Commission," Mr. Tandon warned.

On the need to induct polling personnel from outside the State, he said: "We are presently assessing their availability [in the State] and our requirements."

Poll preparedness

Over the past two days, Mr. Tandon and his colleagues met representatives of political parties and officials of the civil and police administration "to review poll preparations and the security environment in the State."

The Commission officials reviewed the law and order situation in districts affected by Maoist insurgency. "All necessary steps are being taken to ensure peaceful elections." Sufficient Central paramilitary forces will be deployed in these areas and "for aerial surveillance" during the polls, Mr. Tandon said.

On exit polls, he said: "The EC agrees with the consensus reached at an all-party meeting in Delhi on April 6, 2004 that there should be no [announcement of] exit poll results after each day of polling. It should be announced only after the last day of polling." "But the Central Government must amend the legislation to enforce the consensus. Unless the law is amended, how can it be enforced?" Mr. Tandon asked.

The EC would depute 361 observers for West Bengal, he said. While 294 of them would be "general" observers looking after constituencies, 67 would be "expenditure" observers checking on the expenses incurred by candidates.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail