Do you control us, Election Commission asks BJP chief

Taking strong exception of controversial statement made by West Bengal BJP leader Joy Banerjee that can mar the public image of the Election Commission, the poll watchdog has asked BJP president Amit Shah to explain party's position latest by Friday.

The EC said that BJP leader Joy Banerjee at a public meeting in Birbhum district on September 20, 2015 had stated that his party (BJP) has "control over the Election Commission."

Banerjee did not stop there and went on speaking about the security arrangements that would be put in place for next year's state assembly election.

The EC, in the letter sent by the special messenger to Amit Shah on Tuesday, said, "The statement of Banerjee amounts to denigrating the integrity of the Election Commission as the statement can distort public perception about the neutrality, autonomy and independence of the Election Commission" and asked the BJP to explain its position.

The EC along with the letter also dispatched a CD containing the recording of the public speech of Banerjee to Amit Shah.

In a related development acting on news reports, the Election Commission on Tuesday directed DG investigation of income tax of Bihar to carry out detailed investigation of movement of illegal money in the poll bound state.
The DG investigation of Bihar has been asked to be extra vigilant and to proactively raid any premises if information about black money being exchanged is received.