Agartala: Ruling CPI(M) has accused the Election Commission of favouring Opposition Congress in preparation of electoral roll by accepting claims and objections in plain papers.
The EC is gearing up to hold elections to the 60-member Tripura Assembly, as its term is set to expire on March 16, 2013.
Talking to media here today, CPI(M) spokesperson Goutam Das alleged that the EC had allowed Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to campaign for the Congress.
The MEA had made an audio-visual document – ‘Indian Election: A Mammoth Democratic Exercise’, which has portrayed only the party symbol of the Congress and the BJP.
The state publicity department was asked to screen it among the voters to aware them of the issues and importance of election.
‘ In viewing the election campaign scenes, instead of showing plurality, which is the basic electoral system of our country, it looks as if, except the Congress and the BJP no party exists in India, ‘ Mr Das alleged.
He also criticised the MEA, saying it has no business to glorify Indian democracy inside the country and asked whether they took consent of the ECI before making DVD and alleged that while introducing EVM, election symbols of major national political parties were exhibited except those of the CPI(M) and the CPI.
Mr Das also protested the violation of its own norms by the ECI in the second phase of revision of electoral rolls in Tripura and said, “The claim and objection period for the second phase of the revision of electoral rolls was between November 2 and 14 last, but after the scheduled period the Congress and INPT supporters submitted bulk of claims and objections and the EC authorities accepted these.” (UNI)
