State EC meets Guv CV Ananda Bose

Kolkata: State election commissioner (SEC) Rajiva Sinha on Sunday went to Raj Bhavan to discuss poll-related matters with Governor CV Ananda Bose.

The Governor, while attending a programme on Sunday, clarified that this time Sinha was not summoned by Raj Bhavan this time and that the state election commissioner himself sought an appointment to meet Bose.

He also told the media that he understands that Sinha is preoccupied with poll-related matters and hence has set no specific date to meet him.

Earlier, after returning the joining letter, Bose had said “...Yes, I appointed him (Rajiva Sinha) from a panel of names given to me by the honourable Council of Ministers. We expected him to do his duty. What is happening all around, it is for anyone to see. Human blood cannot be made a bargaining point. People have the right to life, the right to peace. Peace will be established and should be established. This is not a promise but a commitment towards the people of Bengal whom I love. There should be free and fair elections.

Violence should be rooted out from the soil of Bengal.”

However, on Sunday evening Rajiva Sinha left for Raj Bhavan.

Sources said he will discuss poll-related issues which include the deployment of central forces. The state election body is learnt to have written to the Union Home Ministry for sending the rest of the companies of central forces.

The Centre has sent 315 companies so far. At the time the report was filed, it was not known exactly what conversation took place inside Raj Bhavan.

The Governor on Sunday said that all government functionaries in the state must prioritise the needs of the people over anything else. He regretted the sight of violence he witnessed while visiting the violence-stricken areas such as Bhangor and Canning in South 24-Parganas. He said violence needs to be stopped to pave the way for a free and fair election.