May 11, 2014
CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member, Sitaram Yechury, in a memorandum submitted to the Election Commission today urged upon the ECI to appoint special observers or officers in any other capacity to ensure that proper law and order is maintained and people are allowed to exercise their fundamental right to vote fearlessly in the last phase of the elections, tomorrow. Among other things, The Party has demanded that history-sheeters be taken into custody to prevent them from intimidating and threatening voters.
The full text of the letter handed over the Chief Election Commissioner today is given below.
**
May 11, 2014
The Chief Election Commissioner
Election Commission of India
Nirvachan Sadan
New Delhi 110 001
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you regarding the last phase of polls to be held tomorrow i.e. May 12, 2014 in the state of West Bengal. The largest number of parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal are going to polls tomorrow (17 out of 42).
Already large scale violence has been resorted to by the ruling party in the state, the Trinamul Congress through numerous armed anti-social miscreants. CPI(M) candidates (e.g. Shri Tapas Sinha in Kanthi P.C) and prominent leaders in Kolkata city and surroundings, like CPI(M) leaders in Kashipur, Kolkata Dakshin P.C, Dum Dum P.C. etc. etc. are some of the victims of such violence and many hospitalized with serious injuries. Some of these details are contained in the letters that have been sent to the CEO West Bengal, the Special Observer and your goodself are enclosed. Many more such details are being received. These shall also be forwarded to you shortly.
Since this morning (May 11, 2014) Bengali television channels are continuously showing such incidents of violence all across the constituencies that are to go to polls tomorrow. Intimidation, threats and outright assaults are being reported from all across the state. Open warnings are being issued that polling agents of all other parties, other than the ruling Trinamul Congress, will not be allowed to enter the polling booths tomorrow. In such an atmosphere of widespread terror and intimidation, no free and fair polls can take place.
In discharge of your constitutional mandate to ensure free and fair polls, we request the following measures should be undertaken immediately.
- The appointment of special observers or officers in any other capacity to ensure that proper law and order is maintained and people are allowed to exercise their fundamental right to vote according to their choice fearlessly tomorrow. This is essential given that the state administration apparatus appears to be highly compromised in favour of the state ruling party. We would urge you to consider the appointment of special police observers in all these constituencies.
- We request you to ensure that the central para military forces conduct route marches in all the constituencies in order to instill a sense of confidence amongst the people that they shall be protected while they exercise their franchise in a fearless, free and fair manner.
- Most of the anti-social elements are listed with the local police stations as history-sheeters. We demand that all listed history-sheeters be taken into preventive custody immediately in order to ensure that they cannot freely move about intimidating and threatening voters and polling officials.
- Out of over 40,000 state government employees engaged in election duties, only 12000 have been issued Postal Ballot/Election Duty Certificate. Additionally, 8300 employees of the health department who have been assigned election duties have also not been issued Postal Ballot/Election Duty Certificate. We request that this anomaly be immediately corrected and the personnel deputed to discharge election duties are not deprived of their democratic right to vote.
(Sitaram Yechury)
Member, Polit Bureau
Image