Make EC free from political bias-CPI(M)

New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) The CPI(M) today made a strong case for "accountability" of the Election Commission and asked all national and state parties to look into the power and authority of the EC in the background of its ''biased and arbitrary" role in conducting elections in West Bengal and Bihar.

The party intends to initiate a national debate on" grey areas" of electioneering and a comprehensive reform in Election Commission.

" There should be a constitutional mechanism to monitor and check if Election Commission acts with poltical bias, usurps the powers of the governments or does anything with mala fide intention," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said adding that for the appointment of the Election Commissioners, the Leader of the Opposition and the top judiciary should also be associated with the process.

At a press conference, the CPI(M) leader relased a 23-page booklet entitled- Election Commission- A case for reform here, while asserting that '' the EC should be made accountable for its commissions and omissions.'' The Booklet deals mainly with four areas- the composition and the modality for appointment and removal of members of the EC, including the CEC, jurisdiction of the EC, the definition and the role of the Election Observers and the law and order question and the deployment of central forces.

The CPI(M) General Secretary, visibly annoyed with the "biased" role of the EC in conducting WB assembly polls, said" we have never come across an EC which conducted the Assembly polls in WB with percieved notion that rigging does take place in the LDF government regime." " The EC applied double standards for different chief ministers.

The Tamil Nadu CM was allowed to take out a procession which jammed 15 km long traffic when she filled her nomination. Had we done it in our state, the EC could have cancelled the entire election," Mr Karat said.

More UNI KSA RP HT1728