EC To Examine TMC Sting Video; Lists Measures For Fair Polls

Kolkata: The Central Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday said it is going to examine the sting video which purportedly shows Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders accepting money to help a fictitious private firm.

Election Commissioner AK Joti said: "The point was made by representatives of political parties and the matter will be examined. We can't say anything immediately as we haven't seen anything as of now. The matter will be examined.”

TMC has rubbished the allegations made in the sting operation and threatened legal action against the news portal Narada News, claiming the videos were "doctored".

The EC also rolled out a list of measures on Tuesday for the administration to ensure free and fair polls. It includes law and order management, co-ordination of central forces in all key meetings, checking on bike rallies, arranging elaborate awareness campaigns to prevent the misuse of the electoral photo identity card, among others. One of the most important points listed was the immediate arrest of 1,500 people who were involved in offences during the 2011 Assembly polls and the 2014 general elections. It also calls for the execution of 31,000 pending non-bailable warrants. The urgency in maintaining harmony in places which are deemed communally sensitive, was also stated.

The full bench of the EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi, has been staying in Kolkata since Wednesday evening to examine poll preparedness for the upcoming Assembly elections. The EC last night met representatives of various political parties and today they met Superintendents of Police (SPs), District Magistrates (DPs), senior bureaucrats and police officers.

Zaidi said the EC would also look into the appointment of a special observer for the state, adding it would take a serious view of incidents of laxity in the enforcement of the model code of conduct and lack of neutrality on the part of officers."Many political parties have informed us about the lack of neutrality of certain officials and have asked us to take appropriate action. We cannot tell you who they are, we have taken note of that. We have independent sources also. We will assess it and an appropriate decision will be taken soon," Zaidi said.