LF Chairman questions role of EC Observers in Bengal

Kolkata, Apr 5 (UNI) Renewing his tirade against the Election Commission, Left Front Chairman Biman Bose today lambasted the EC observers for ordering ''unnecessary'' searches in the CPI(M) zonal committee office at Keshpur in West Midnapore district after midnight last night.

Criticising the role of the observers, Mr Bose, who recently took over as the CPI(M) state Secretary following the death of Mr Anil Biswas, hoped that the EC would not support such ''totally biased, uncalled for, undemocratic and autocratic'' work of a section of observers.

Claiming that the sudden raid at Keshpur party office by the EC observers, along with Punjab police and RAF personnel, was aimed at creating panic among party workers, Mr Bose alleged that some Trinamool Congress workers were present during the search operation.

''The CPI(M) state Committee strongly condemns such highly undemocratic and autocratic behaviour of some EC observers and hopes that in futue the Commission would desist from giving such orders to them,'' Mr Bose said in a statement.

He also appealed to all democratic-minded people to organise statewide protest demonstrations against the EC's move. Urging them to maintain discipline, the Left Front Chairman appealed to them to uphold the state's long tradition of holding free and fair elections.

''Equal care should also be taken to ensure that no examinee in the state faces any problem because of the statewide agitational programme,'' Mr Bose said in the statement.

UNI ABA PL VD RN1623