Bengal Cabinet meet to be convened on Aug 18 to discuss growing tussle with ECI

Kolkata, Aug 12 (IANS) In the wake of the growing tussle between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission of India (ECI), an urgent meeting of the state Cabinet has been convened on August 18 to discuss the complications arising out of the evolving situation.

The decision to convene the Cabinet meeting on August 18 was notified soon after the information surfaced that ECI summoned Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to the ECI's headquarters in New Delhi by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, on the issue of suspension of four election officers.

What has surprised many in the corridors of power is that the fresh Cabinet meeting on August 18 has been convened just seven days after the last one held on August 11.

Generally, the gap between two Cabinet meetings is between 10 days and 14 days, except in an emergency situation.

Insiders from the State Secretariat said that the next meeting at such a short interval is likely to discuss the complications arising out of the growing tussle between the state government and ECI, not just over the suspension of the four election officers but also over other issues, especially of special intensive revision mooted by the commission.

"We are expecting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take some important decision on these matters at the Cabinet meeting on August 18, and hence the meeting has been convened at such a short interval," said a member of the state Cabinet requesting anonymity.

On August 8, the ECI had sent a reminder to Pant on sending the compliance report over the commission's earlier direction to the state government to suspend these four election officers and asked the Trinamool Congress government to send the compliance report on this matter by Monday.

However, on Monday, the Chief Secretary forwarded a communique to the commission, saying that the state government is yet to order any such disciplinary action against the four election officers, as directed by the poll body, and for the time being has just removed these four officers from election duty.

Thereafter, on Thursday, Chief Secretary Pant is to report to the ECI's headquarters at New Delhi by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

An insider from the State Secretariat said that the Chief Secretary will be present at the ECI's headquarters in New Delhi by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

--IANS

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