By our correspondent
Agartala, May 02, 2019: A delegation of top level leaders of the BJP led by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi have met the ECI and have demanded immediate replacement of Taranikanti for his alleged partisan role and also to avoid a ‘logjam and unrest amongst the civil service and other state employees’. The delegates also accused Tarani Kanti of ‘transgressing the authority with impunity and without any consideration of electoral laws, rules and practices’.
The reference of civil service and other State government employees came up after several employees’ organization made statement venting anger and dissent for punitive actions taken by State Election Department against the poll personnel.
The BJP delegation in its submission said , ‘the CEO sent a Whatsapp message asking all ROs and AROs to facilitate voter and workers of a particular political party, which is in gross violation of RPA 1951, MCC and all other relevant and applicable electoral laws’.
The delegation gave the copy of the Whatsapp message, which read :
“CPM delegation is with me. They say that their polling agents are driven away. However, they say people are willing to cast votes. Sector Civil and Police should escort these voters and drop them back. All AROs SHALL INSTRUCT THEIR SECTOR OFFICERS AND REPORT BACK TO ME”.
“The RO West Tripura, who the CEO recommended for replacement, has represented to the chief secretary Tripura against the misconduct of the CEO, Shri Tarani Kanti in so much as that the CEO transgressed his authority with impunity and without any consideration of electoral laws, rules and practices. The letter of the RO addressed to the Chief Secretary is enclosed for your ready reference”.
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“The Chief Secretary of Tripura, after some preliminary inquiry, referred the matter to the Election Commission”.
“The large number of show cause notices, FIR filed at the instructions of CEO and some arrests has created a serious flutter and unrest amongst the state election personnel. The Tripura Civil Service Association has represented against the behaviour and conduct of the CFO”…
“It is thus imperative that in the overall interest of the State and good governance, the CEO Shri Tarani Kanti is replaced with any other officer that Commission may desire”.
