Ex-minister Kanti Ganguly summoned

Kolkata: Former Bengal minister Kanti Ganguly on Wednesday said he has been summoned by the Election Commission for a hearing in connection with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Eighty-two-year-old Ganguly, who had served in the state Cabinet for a decade during the Left Front rule, said he has been asked to appear before the poll officials on January 2.

“I am quite surprised to receive a notice asking me to appear for a hearing on January 2. I do not know the reason. My name is on the 2002 draft list. I have been casting my vote for several decades. I have sent my reply to the commission and will definitely appear for the hearing,” the CPI(M) leader said. In his response to the commission, Ganguly detailed his long political career, including the number of years he served as an MLA and as a minister.

“I have also mentioned the different positions I have held, starting from a councillor and chairman of a borough committee,” he said. Ganguly said he had submitted all necessary documents along with the enumeration form and questioned the rationale behind issuing him a notice despite this. Nearly 15 years after the Left Front lost power in the state, Ganguly continues to remain active at the grassroots.