Comment on CEO lands Mukul under EC scanner

Kolkata: BJP leader Mukul Roy has come under the scanner of the Election Commission, due to his comment that the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has turned 'deaf and dumb' and also been 'managed' by the local administration.

The CEO's office has expressed strong objection to Roy's comment. It has already sought the video footages of Roy's statement, where he had allegedly made some derogatory comments against the commission.

It may be mentioned that Roy had slammed the CEO's office in the state on Monday, saying: "I have never seen such a deaf and dumb CEO's office. It is the people's perception that the officials of the CEO's office have somehow been managed by the local administration." He also said that there has been a 'mockery of democracy' in the state. Some people in the state have interpreted it by saying that Roy tried to demean an autonomous authority like the Election Commission.

The CEO's office on Tuesday also sought a report on various controversial statements of other BJP leaders, including BJP's candidate from Jadavpur Anupam Hazra and Sayantan Basu, who is contesting the elections from Basirhat. The commission also sought a report from the East Burdwan DM on the statement of controversial BJP leader Soumitra Khan, who on Sunday urged the voters to be equipped with 'Boti and Khunti'.