Kolkata, March 9 (NationPress) The Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge) in West Bengal, Chandrima Bhattacharya, who represented the Trinamool Congress at a meeting with the Election Commission full bench, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accused him of inappropriate behavior during their discussion.

"Being a woman, I found it disrespectful when he remarked — 'Don’t shout'. The CEC lacks basic respect for women, which is evident from his actions of removing several women's names from the voters’ list. If someone’s name is deleted, proving their authenticity as a voter falls on them. The CEC needs to remember that shouting at women or treating them poorly is unacceptable in his role," Bhattacharya expressed to reporters after the meeting.

She further mentioned that the CEC declined to address any matters concerning the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal. "He stated that since the SIR issue is pending in the Supreme Court, it couldn’t be discussed. So why convene a meeting if we’re prohibited from discussing it? Is it wrong to approach the Supreme Court for the benefit of the voters?" she questioned.

Additionally, Firhad Hakim, the State Minister for Municipal Affairs and Kolkata Mayor, who was also part of the delegation, criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for spreading false narratives about illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants infiltrating West Bengal.

"Did the Commission uncover any evidence supporting the BJP’s accusations during the last two months of revision? Instead, innocent individuals faced harassment under the guise of the SIR. The Commission erred in formulating revision rules following BJP demands. Our plea is that no legitimate voter should be excluded from the list," he stated.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) shared the proceedings of their interactions with various political parties earlier in the day, noting that all parties urged the Commission to take decisive action against anti-social elements and ensure voter intimidation does not occur in the upcoming elections.

The Commission also noted that most political parties requested either one or two-phase polling in West Bengal this time. "The CEC assured the political parties that elections in India are conducted in accordance with the law, and the ECI is committed to ensuring an impartial, transparent, and fair election process in West Bengal. The ECI maintains a policy of Zero Tolerance towards violence," the statement concluded.