A TWO member delegation of the CPI(M) consisting of Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general secretary and central secretariat member Nilotpal Basu met the chief election commissioner and submitted a memorandum on April 12 to draw the attention of the commission to the extremely disturbing events on the second day of polling to West Bengal assembly elections.  The delegation expressed surprise at the statement and the press conference held by the deputy election commissioner of the ECI, Sandeep Saxena.  The extremely disturbing events on the second day of polling to West Bengal assembly elections were brought to the notice of the commission.  The mainstream media has widely reported on the same which corroborates the contentions and therefore, the statement that the polling was normal was completely divorced from the actual reality, the memorandum said.

What is more disturbing is to legitimise this `normalcy’ by stating that all incidents had taken place outside the polling booths. This is surprising, to say the least. This suggests that the EC is abdicating its constitutional mandate to ensure the conduct of a free and fair poll.  Events outside the polling booths are considered a part of the polling process, when they adversely affect free and fair polling.  Now, it appears that there is a major reversal of the EC’s earlier position.  Importantly, such a position would completely nullify the prerequisite for route marches by central police forces for confidence building and area domination as a deterrent to miscreants who are out to disrupt and usurp the democratic rights of the people, the memorandum said. 

The delegation urged the commission to take all possible necessary steps for discharging its constitutionally  mandated responsibility of holding free and fair polls in the remaining five phases covering 245 assembly constituencies.

Earlier on April 11, CPI(M) central secretariat member Nilotpal Basu met the chief election commissioner and submitted a memorandum regarding the violence and irregularities during polling in some assembly constituencies in West Bengal in the second part of phase I election. The Party had apprehended such large-scale malpractices and submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 9. The Party demanded justice for the people and remedial action for incidents which had undermined the right to exercise their voting rights without fear or intimidation.

In the memorandum, the Party said there has been widespread intimidation of voters, violence, obstructing voters from going to the polling booths, mounting attacks on opposition polling agents.  Even the leader of the opposition of the current assembly and secretary of the CPI(M) West Bengal state committee Surjyakanta Mishra was heckled in his assembly constituency Narayangarh.

One of the major reasons that these disturbances could take place is inactivity and deliberate misuse of central forces. Despite repeated assurance from ECI, central forces were not used for area domination before the polling day and were virtually kept idle during the polling. It is unfortunate there were reports that central forces failed to intervene even when violence and attacks occurred in their presence.

However, what was most unacceptable was the attitude of the officials manning the electoral machinery. Despite repeated complaints, they were not responding; often switching off their mobile phones. There have been a few instances where even central observers could not be contacted. But the most monumental lapse was on the question of deployment and disability of central forces for building confidence of the voters so that they could exercise their franchise in a free and fair manner. This is notwithstanding the consistent position of the ECI that there will be adequate deployment and no miscreant will be able to disrupt the free and fair polls. 

In West Midnapore, the role of observers was surprising particularly in Keshpur, Garbeta, Chandrakona and Dantan. They were unavailable in mobiles, or failed to respond to calls. Sector officers brushed away complaints with a predetermined answer that “no such incident took place”.

Widespread violence and booth capturing took place in Keshpur constituency. The Trinamool Congress created an atmosphere of terror in villages for last two-three days. This was reported to CEO office but no intervention was witnessed. CPI(M) polling  agents were not allowed to seat in 110 booths from the beginning. They were forcibly evicted from many other booths within hours after polling began. Bike-borne Trinamool Congress gangs roamed freely and attacked CPI(M) polling agents, threatened voters, restrained villagers from coming to booths. More than 146 booths were fully captured till 1:30 PM. There was no semblance of free and fair elections in the entire constituency.

In Chandrakona, Trinamool Congress gangs brought criminals from outside and threatened and chased away voters in nearly 60 booths. They have attacked CPI(M) polling agents, injuring some of them. Large areas of the constituency were terrorised and voters could not proceed to polling booths at all.

In Garbeta, the state’s ruling party created terror to restrain CPI(M) polling agents from reaching booths. In 109 booths, opposition polling agents were not allowed to enter at all. Series of booths were captured and villagers were forced to stay indoors.

In Kharagpur, CPI(M) candidate Sajahan Ali was repeatedly cordoned by AITC activists wherever he went. Ali was forced to sit back in CPI(M) office. In Pingla, at least 14 booths were captured by AITC gangs. In Ghatal, outsiders were mobilised by AITC, mainly in villages on Hooghly border. They created terror in 34 booths in border areas. Reports of violence and attack on voters have also come from Sabang, Narayangarh and Keshiary constituencies.

In Bankura district, nearly 30 booths in Sonamukhi and 20 booths in Indas constituency were either captured or disturbed by AITC activists. Villagers were restrained from approaching booths. CPI(M) polling agents were threatened and attacked in some areas. In Burdwan, at least 10 booths were disturbed in Pandabeswar. AITC gangs threatened voters. In Barabani, outsiders were mobilised and they restrained voters in some places. In Jamuria, CPI(M) candidate Jahanara Khan was threatened by AITC.  In Durgapur Purba constituency, normal voting process was disturbed after 12 PM in 15 booths.

In the earlier memorandum, the Party had said, “We are constrained to bring to your notice the inadequacies in the preparedness of the arrangement for holding free and fair elections on the ensuing phases on the 11^th and 17^th April. So far as the ensuing polls on April 11, the situation in particularly two constituencies – Keshpur and Garbeta -- is extremely disturbing.” Here the main problem is of police inaction and distorting the actual reality by the highest echelons of the District Police authorities.

“Without certain special arrangements, may be with a specific central observer fixed for overseeing the civil and police aspects, free and fair polls cannot take place in Keshpur,” the Party had said.

The situation in Birbhum district is also quite critical with particularly ominous developments in Labpur AC. “We would also firmly point out that the delay of the EC in initiating action against Anubrata Mandal, Birbhum District President of TMC... We urge that SP Birbhum and OC Labpur must be immediately relieved from their present responsibility; but for which free and fair polls are not possible,” the Party said.

The Party also demanded action against Sabyasachi Dutta, the TMC candidate for Rajarhat-Gopalpur for his remarks that syndicates which build a monopoly control over real estate activities in the New Town area of the constituency fund and provide all his electoral requirements.

“We had earlier drawn your attention to the obnoxious information that uniforms were being stitched to camouflage civic volunteers as regular state police and CRPF to manipulate elections.  Our apprehensions have come true.  We are forwarding a representation from the CPI(M) West Bengal state committee with detailed information about how such activities have been caught red-handed. These were being facilitated by sections of the state police,” the memorandum said.

“You may kindly recall that, at the very outset, we had expressed apprehension over the fallout of Ponzi scheme scams in the electoral funding during the ongoing Assembly elections. We had been specific about the possible dubious activities of those chit fund owners who remain outside the police and the judicial custody. We have been complaining for quite some time that chit funds, exposed or covert, are still playing nefarious role in elections in West Bengal. The ruling party is using black money, routed through fake companies or chit funds in their campaign.

“A recent incident in Onda in Bankura has exposed the nexus. AITC MP Abhishek Banerjee addressed an election meeting in Natun Gram, Punisol in the said constituency on 6^th April. He was accompanied by Chandan Chakraborty, allegedly the head of operations of Pailan chit fund which has reportedly collected crores of rupees from Bankura district. Thousands of villagers were duped and Chandan Chakraborty went into hiding. Villagers identified Chakraborty and chased him in the meeting itself in the presence of the MP. Police took Chakraborty first to Punisol police outpost and then to Onda PS. Villagers complained to police about the fraud perpetrated by Chakraborty. However, with pressures from AITC leaders, police forced some villagers to write a so-called ‘Compromise Formula’, which allowed Chakraborty to shed his responsibility of paying back money. He was let off from police station. The incident once again indicates the fact of brazen collaboration between AITC and chit funds and how the state administration is being run. It also supports the apprehension that illegally acquired money is being used in election,” the Party said.