Subrata Bakshi raises issues related to polls in letter to CEC

Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Bakshi wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner on Wednesday, raising various issues related to the Lok Sabha elections.

In his letter, Bakshi pointed out that hoardings and banners have been put up in various places across the city, congratulating the Armed Forces of the country for dismantling terrorist installations. However, he alleged that the BJP leaders in the state have placed such hoardings with political interest in mind.

"They are trying to gain political leverage out of the aerial strike conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The banners that have the pictures of the armed forces also carry BJP's party symbol and some prominent leaders of the party," he wrote. According to Bakshi, these posters and banners have been found to be in violation of the general advisory to the political parties by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Bakshi also brought to the notice of the commission as to how BJP is misusing the incident of the airstrike with an intention of influencing voters and urged the Chief Election Commissioner to take appropriate action in this regard.

It may be mentioned that Election Commission officials have so far removed many banners and hoardings carrying the photographs of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from various places. A drive has been going on to spot such banners that are still up in different parts of the state.

Some CPI-M and Congress leaders on Wednesday met the senior Election Commission officials at the CEO's office, demanding a free and fair election. They also urged the commission to identify the sensitive booths, if any, in the state. A senior ECI official is expected to visit the city later this week to supervise the situation.