CPI-M threatens to take EC to court

The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Saturday accused the Election Commission of being indifferent to the violation of the model code of conduct by the Trinamool Congress and said it might seek legal recourse.

After a meeting with state Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta, CPI-M state committee member Rabin Deb told mediapersons that Trinanool violated the model code during its recent road shows where processions led by party chief Mamata Banerjee disrupted traffic and the activists fixed party flags on public property.

Though the EC 'failed' to take notice of such violations, it was active in getting posters removed from a recent Students Federation of India-organised interaction with students at a south Kolkata college and at the student body's state conference in Kalyani earlier, he said.

"While the EC has not acted on the MCC violation by Trinamool, it was very active in case of the SFI although it is not a political party. The EC is not acting impartially. If this goes on we will go to the people and also take legal action if necessary," he said.

Joint CEO N K Sahana said Deb's complaint about the violation of the MCC by Trinamool Congress has been sent to the Election Commission for its decision.

He said that as per code of conduct, procession must be held without disrupting traffic and party flags, cut-outs and festoons cannot be put on public property.

Asked about Deb's warning of going to court against the EC, he said, "Everyone has a right to go to court".

During his interaction with the CEO, Deb reiterated his party's demand that the use of microphone for campaigning in the first phase of elections be allowed from April 8, the last day of the state higher secondary examinations, and not from April 13 when the ISC examinations are scheduled to end.

"We have conducted a survey and it shows that in 234 of the 294 constituencies, there are no ISC or CBSE finalists. So why can't campaigning with loudspeakers be allowed in those constituencies?" he said.

At his press conference on March 15, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi had, however, ruled out allowing the use of loudspeakers from April 8 as the ISC finals would end only on April 13.