Mamata-led TMC delegation likely to meet ECI, in Delhi, on Feb 2
Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked a Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation, led by party chairperson Mamata Banerjee, to visit the apex poll body’s office in New Delhi on Monday, February 2, at around 4 pm.
According to sources, the Commission conveyed the appointment to Banerjee through a written communication. Party sources said she will be accompanied by TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and several Members of Parliament. Banerjee has been permitted to lead a 15-member delegation to the ECI on the scheduled date.
A few family members of those who allegedly died due to what the party has termed “Special Intensive Revision (SIR) panic” may also accompany the delegation to Delhi.
Banerjee was earlier scheduled to travel to Delhi on Wednesday to stage a national-level protest against issues related to the SIR of the voter list in West Bengal, after addressing a public meeting in Singur, Hooghly district. However, the programme was postponed after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar reportedly died in a plane crash. Banerjee expressed her condolences over the incident and deferred her Delhi visit. She also cited the Anandapur fire incident as another reason for postponement.
The SIR process began in West Bengal on November 4. Since then, the TMC has been vocal in alleging that the exercise is being carried out in haste and without adequate planning, resulting in harassment and suffering of common people. Banerjee has alleged that ordinary citizens are being unnecessarily harassed in the name of SIR and that a conspiracy is underway to remove the names of legitimate voters from the electoral rolls. The party has accused the central ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, of colluding with the Election Commission on the issue.
The Chief Minister has written several letters to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, flagging various problems related to the revision of the voter list.
