TMC, AAP, BJP and more urge Election Commission to hold West Bengal elections in one or two phases

REpresentatives of various political parties in westward Bengal met the replete(p) bench of the Election charge of bharat (ECI) in calcutta on Monday, with several of them seeking a maximum of two-phase polling for the upcoming assembly elections, the poll body has said, even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused it of threatening the state officials.Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, met representatives of the TMC, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, AAP, National People’s Party and the Forward Bloc, among others, in Kolkata as part of the poll body’s three-day visit to review poll preparedness in the state.“Political parties urged the commission to conduct the election in one or two phases. They (political parties) called upon ECI to provide protection to each voter and deploy CAPF in large numbers to curb violence during elections. The CEC assured them that the ECI will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring an impartial, transparent and fair poll in West Bengal,” the EC said in a statement.Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sishir Bajoria said they requested the ECI to conduct the elections in one phase or at most two phases. “Holding elections in multiple phases does not help.”Veteran Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said: “The main priority is protection and security. ECI has to ensure a violence-free election and people should be protected. We would be happy if it is held in one phase.”A senior EC official who attended the meeting said: “In the meeting, the CEC directed officials and enforcement agencies to ensure a peaceful and festive environment for elections. Officials were also directed to seize liquor, drugs and illegal arms. Officers were asked to maintain a complete non-partisan attitude and follow the rule of law. They were asked to keep a strict vigil on fake news.”However, the ruling TMC has alleged that a war of words broke out between Kumar and its delegation during a meeting.“Like every time, it was he [Kumar] who did all the talking. After speaking for some time, he suddenly got irritated and said that you [TMC] have moved the Supreme Court. He was shouting. He accused us of shouting,” TMC minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said after the meeting.“Is moving the Supreme Court a crime? We have the right to move court,” she added after the meeting. “He [Kumar] was asking me not to shout. I told him that his attitude proves that he does not respect women. That is why names of women voters are being deleted.”Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, too, hit out at the poll chief.“I heard that officers were threatened in the meeting. They were warned of stern actions if they don’t follow his orders. They were told that actions could follow even after May (when the election process concludes). It is good to have courage but not audacity. Will you remain in your chair after May? First ensure that. Then you can threaten the people and government officials in West Bengal,” she said while addressing a gathering in Kolkata where she has been holding a sit-in demonstration since March 6 to protest against the deletion of names in post-SIR voter lists.An ECI official, however, dismissed the charge. “During the meeting a TMC leader spoke in a raised voice. The CEC advised her to lower her tone and submit her demands and suggestions constructively.”CEC Kumar told HT that he warned of a zero-tolerance policy against any attempt to disrupt the electoral process. “Any instance of violence, intimidation or coercion of voters or election staff will invite immediate and firm action. District magistrates and police authorities will be held personally accountable for maintaining law and order...,” he said.(With inputs from Harsh Yadav)