Trinamool delegation to meet ECI over bogus voters in Bengal
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Kolkata: A ten-member delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is set to meet the full Bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the issue of bogus voters in West Bengal.
On Monday, senior Trinamool Congress leader and four-time Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee raised the matter in Parliament, accusing the Election Commission of lacking transparency. Political observers believe his strong remarks foreshadow the assertive stance the delegation is likely to take during its meeting with the ECI.
According to Trinamool Congress insiders, the delegation will also push for the introduction of Unique Identification Numbers for EPIC cards, similar to Aadhaar and passports. This demand was already presented in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal by a four-member Trinamool delegation, led by the party’s state vice-president Subrata Bakshi, on March 6.
“During our discussion with the ECI’s full Bench today, we will seek a clear assurance on this matter, along with a specific deadline for its implementation,” said a member of the delegation.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The delegation will be led by Trinamool’s Parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien. The other MPs in the delegation include Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Kalyan Banerjee, Asit Kumar Mal, Sagarika Ghosh, Kirti Azad, Sazda Ahmed, Abu Taher Khan, Saket Gokhale, and Prakash Chik Baraik.
Meanwhile, political circles in West Bengal are abuzz over the absence of Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee from the list of delegates meeting the ECI. Last week, he was also notably absent from the first meeting of the party’s internal core committee, formed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to scrutinize the state’s voter list and identify bogus voters. His name was listed second among core committee members, yet he did not attend the crucial discussion.
With IANS inputs