Demand for re-poll in all civic bodies grows louder

KOLKATA: Save Democracy Forum, a civil society platform has demanded re-poll of the entire municipal election. Forum's chairperson, retired judge Ashok Ganguly said that votes have been looted and they are demanding a re-poll of the entire municipal election.

Former speaker of the West Bengal State Legislative Assembly Hasim Abdul Halim questioned the powers of the interim election commissioner arguing that he is there to carry out office work. "A caretaker election commissioner does not have any power to conduct election or announce counting dates. The state government could have employed a full-fledged election commissioner instead of making interim arrangements," he said.

Taking a cue from his arguments, advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said, "the interim appointment is to ensure that the officiating election commissioner signs on the dotted lines of the state government. This is definitely not ethical to conduct poll process and the whole attempt is to make the polling process infructuous," he said.

"People from outside were present in large numbers during the poll and have looted the votes. Former election commissioner Sushanta Ranjan Upadhyay took some measures and drew flak from the ruling party as a result. He was virtually gheraoed for hours and state ministers and political leaders resorted to pressure tactics. He has resigned after that," he said. when asked about the powers of the interim election commissioner, he said that it is up to the governor to delegate powers to him.