Do not belittle institution with repeated innuendos: EC’s sharp response to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

EC in its letter to Banerjee stated, "Commission maintains the position that they would not like to keep on being put in the dock for alleged proximity to any political entity."

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New Delhi: In a sharp response to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Election Commission on Tuesday (March 16) said that her remarks are “an attempt to belittle the institution”. 

Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of West Bengal Sudeep Jain in reply to Banerjee said, “If it is stated by the CM that the Commission should meet political parties, it is only an attempt to belittle the institution of Commission with repeated innuendos and averments.” 

"Commission maintains the position that they would not like to keep on being put in the dock for alleged proximity to any political entity," the letter read. 

Banerjee had written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on March 14.

Earlier, Trinamool Congress (TMC) had questioned the poll panel to remove Jain as in charge of West Bengal and also questioned his neutrality. The Commission had defended Jain through a press statement.

In her rally at Bankura in West Bengal on Tuesday, the TMC supremo had asked whether Union Home Minister Amit Shah is running EC and giving “instructions” to them. 

"Is Amit Shah running the EC? He is giving instructions to the EC. What happened to their independence? My director, security (Vivek Sahay) was removed (by EC) as per his instructions," she was quoted as saying by PTI.

She had also accused Shah of hatching a conspiracy to harass TMC leaders. She further claimed that he is getting "frustrated" by "poor turnout" at his rallies.

(With inputs from PTI)