The Congress today demanded withdrawal of Election Commission's Special Observer in West Bengal Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, while the BJP and Left parties alleged violence in the third phase and better measures in the next two.
"Congress candidates did not get Rakesh on telephone, nor through SMS on the day of polling on April 30," West Bengal Congress President Adhir Chowdhury said.
"We demand his withdrawal from the state. It is difficult to hold peaceful election if he continues here. We cannot rely on him," Chowdhury said.
Senior Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said the EC had failed to live up to its promise of ensuring a free and fair poll.
BJP state President Rahul Sinha also alleged that violence, rigging and exodus of polling agents were witnessed in the last phase.
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, he suggested that video recordings of the violence be requisitioned from various news channels and demanded that those shown indulging in it be arrested and action taken against policemen.
As the majority of constituencies in the state were yet to go to polls, Sinha urged the CEC for deployment of more central forces in all booths in the fourth and fifth phases.
Seeking CCTVs in all booths, he also suggested proper utilisation of webcams and video vans which he alleged were mostly invisible during the third phase of the elections.
Stating that he had met Rakesh and discussed measures required to be taken for next two phases in the state, Sinha reminded the CEC about his discussion with its full bench in March, that there was agreement on deployment of central forces in all sensitive booths and route marches by them.
Left leaders led by former mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta.
Making similar demands the delegates appealed to him to intervene immediately and take measures to restore public confidence.
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