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Kolkata, Oct 16 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday drew the attention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the fact that booth level officers (BLOs) were being introduced on the stage of a political program of the Trinamool Congress in Kharagpur in West Midnapore district.
The LOP officer has also shared a video on his official X account in which these BLOs are being introduced at a political program of Trinamool Congress.
However, IANS could not verify the authenticity of the video.
According to the LOP official, all these BLOs, who were seen openly attending the Trinamool Congress meeting, were from 224 Kharagpur Sadar constituency of West Midnapore district.
He said that during this meeting the BLO was introduced by Trinamool Congress leader of West Midnapore district Debashish Chaudhary.
“This is nothing less than a direct attack on the principles of free and fair elections,” the LOP official said.
While drawing the attention of ECI in this matter, he had also given the names of these eight BLOs and their respective booth numbers.
“These officers, all of them school teachers, are entrusted with the sacred duty of ensuring fairness at the grassroots level, but instead they are cozying up to TMC leaders in broad daylight! This smacks of institutional bias, where the custodians of democracy are puppets in the hands of Mamata Banerjee’s autocratic rule. How can we expect fair elections when BLOs are publicly aligning with the ruling party are? Manipulating voter lists, intimidating opposition workers and tilting the tables in favor of TMC?” The LOP officer said in his official ex-post.
He had also requested the ECI to take immediate cognizance of the matter and initiate strict action against these BLOs.
“These biased officials should be immediately suspended and barred from any participation in the upcoming elections. A thorough investigation is required to expose the full extent of TMC’s infiltration of the electoral machinery. Failure to act decisively will only encourage such corrupt practices and undermine public confidence in our democratic institutions,” the LOP claimed.
–IANS
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