2 hrs ago
TMC May Release CEC Meeting Audio Amid SIR Dispute
The Trinamool Congress, or TMC, may publish recordings of meetings with India’s top election official.
The party says it has recordings from three meetings.
It wants people to hear how the Election Commission discussed election rules and answered its questions.
The TMC says the election panel has treated it unfairly.
This disagreement also involves a separate fight over who controls the party and its election symbol.
An earlier meeting on April 8 ended in a public argument.
The TMC says the chief election commissioner told its delegation to “get lost.”
The Election Commission denies that version and says its chief gave the delegation a direct response.
The possible release comes during a wider dispute over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The Trinamool Congress is considering releasing recordings of three meetings with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar next week.
The party says the audio would show discussions about election procedures, its questions, and the poll panel’s responses.
The TMC alleges the Election Commission has acted in a partisan manner in disputes over its organisation, name, and election symbol.
The recordings could also capture an April 8 dispute over whether Kumar told TMC leaders to “get lost” after a seven-minute meeting.
The move follows reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected to several poll-panel decisions over 10 months.
- Who
- The Trinamool Congress, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Election Commission, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
- What
- The TMC is considering releasing audio recordings of three meetings with the Election Commission.
- Where
- The meetings included one held in New Delhi.
- When
- The recordings are expected to be released next week; the disputed meeting mentioned took place on April 8.
- Why
- The TMC says the recordings would show how the poll panel interacted with political parties, including its questions and the commission’s responses, amid the SIR dispute and other disagreements.
Trinamool Congress’ position
Election Commission’s position
Conduct of meetings
Trinamool Congress’ position
The TMC says the recordings will show how Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar interacted with political parties and how the commission answered its questions.
Election Commission’s position
The Election Commission has not endorsed the TMC’s account of the meetings and says Kumar gave the delegation a “straight talk.”
April 8 exchange
Trinamool Congress’ position
Derek O’Brien alleged that Kumar told the TMC delegation to “get lost” at the end of the seven-minute interaction.
Election Commission’s position
The Election Commission denied that account and accused O’Brien of shouting at the election commissioners and asking the CEC not to speak.
Impartiality and procedure
Trinamool Congress’ position
The TMC accuses the Election Commission of acting in a partisan manner, including in the dispute over the party’s organisation, name, and election symbol.
Election Commission’s position
The commission has maintained that the West Bengal elections would be “fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, and inducement-free”; reports also said Sandhu and Joshi objected to some decisions as unauthorised or illegal.
Key facts
- Potential release
- The TMC is considering publishing the recordings next week.
- Recordings held
- Party sources say the TMC has audio from three meetings.
- Main official
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- April meeting
- A TMC delegation met the full Election Commission in New Delhi on April 8.
- Meeting duration
- The TMC said the April interaction lasted seven minutes.
- Internal objections
- A report said Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months to poll-panel decisions and orders.
- Related dispute
- The TMC is contesting rival claims over its organisational control, name, and election symbol.
Quotes
Election Commission
India’s election authority describing the intended character of the West Bengal elections.
“fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, and inducement-free”
theprint.in
“get lost”
theprint.in
Sources
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