BJP writes to Kolkata Police Commissioner Alleging Proxy Vote 'Plot'

Kolkata: The Bhartiya Janata Party wrote a letter to the Kolkata police commissioner alleging that the Trinamool Congress Party TMC along with some of the top cops of the police department have been engaged in 'irregular act' ahead of the Assembly polls under the banner of Welfare Associations.

In a letter undersigned by Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta and BJP Election management team members Sabyasachi Dutta, Sishir Bajoria it has been alleged that "an exercise is being carried out within police force to collect photocopies of voter ID cards and Aadhar Cards of police personnel to enable collections of postal ballot of all concerned and to effect proxy votes."

The party in the letter further claimed that police officials are also involved in this "highly irregular act and also tantamount to taking away someone's fundamental right to vote".

Naming the officers involved in the exercise to collect Aadhaar and voter details of police personnel, the letter said an "inspector by the name of Santanu Sinha Biswas is spearheading the exercise and two sub-inspectors Tapan Kr Maity and Bijitaswo Raut are assisting him, among others".

Mentioning a meeting held at Uttirna on February 13, the letter stated that several serving police personnel were seen swearing allegiance to Trinamool Congress in the presence of party MP Subrata Bakshi.

Demanding an inquiry into the matter, the party sought the suspension of the named officers and to stop the operation, as it "comes under the provisions of Corrupt Practices in the Representatives of People's Act".

Reportedly, the signatories meet Kolkata CP Soumen Mitra and register the complaint. Mitra further assured that he would instruct to set up an inquiry commission to look into the matter.

Reacting to the development, BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that members of the Mamata Banerjee-led party have made Bengal police personnel 'swear allegiance to the TMC', in brazen violation of norms.

"BJP writes to Commissioner of Police, Kolkata on the nefarious attempts being made to collect details of police personnel and list them for postal ballots...It also points out how TMC leaders made serving police personnel, in brazen violation of norms, swear allegiance to TMC!" tweets Malviya.

West Bengal will vote on eight phases starting March 27. The counting for the 294-member assembly will be held on May 2.

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