TMC puts pressure on EC, demands counting on October 7

Kolkata: The ruling Trinamool Congress on Monday put pressure on the State Election Commission demanding that counting of votes for Bidhannagar and Asansol municipal corporations be taken up on October 7 as scheduled, but the SEC said it would take a decision in this regard in the least possible time.

The SEC had yesterday postponed counting of votes for Bidhannagaar and Asansol Municipal corporations besides Bally under Howrah municipal corporation following allegations of large-scale violence and malpractices.

The TMC staged dharna in SEC office here in which two state ministers Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee and city mayor Sovan Chatterjee participated among other party leaders and councillors.

"We want to know under whose pressure they (SEC) took such a decision. Counting should begin on October 7. This is our demand. If no decision is taken today, our movement and protest will continue," Partha Chatterjee, also TMC secretary-general told reporters after meeting the SEC.

Chatterjee also said, "The people will unitedly protest if the Governor and SEC tried to hatch conspiracy and break the democratic system in the state".

State Election Commissioner S R Upadhyay told reporters that the commission would take a decision on counting in the least possible time.

Disapproving dharnas by political parties in the commission's office, Upadhyay said, "In the history of Election Commission, I never heard of such protests like this".

"Nobody should try to mould the decision of the commission by his or her behaviour", he said.