TMC urges SC to quash EC’s order excluding state workers from vote counting monitoring duties

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday moved the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court’s order dismissing pleas challenging the May 4 deployment of central government workers only at work centres.this Mamata BanerjeeThe party has raised questions over the polling duties assigned to central government and PSU (public sector undertakings) employees as vote counting monitors.The high court told the TMC that it is the prerogative of the Election Commission to appoint central or state officials as vote counting monitors. The party can file an election petition if central officials are found to have manipulated vote counting in favor of the BJP, the report said.As counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4, the matter has been listed for emergency hearing on Saturday before Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi.Earlier, the court asked why only central officials were appointed, to which the EC replied that the same practice was followed in Kerala.Justice Krishna Rao, while hearing the case, asked the EC, “If there is objection, can the Election Commission not rule? Why don’t you go to the state government?” The HC also pointed out that the statute allows the ECI to appoint employees of the state government or central government as well as employees of public institutions to the post.EC lawyer Dama Seshadri Naidu replied: “We have already done this in Kerala. We are not targeting any state. We will do so as the situation requires.”Senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, appearing for the petitioners, questioned: “Don’t you believe these state government employees? The entire election was conducted by you along with the state government workers. Why are you resorting to discriminatory practices against West Bengal? A total of 2,500 companies have been brought here. If there had been only one company in Pahalgam, the 26 men would not have been killed. “Justice Rao in his order said, “Section 100 of the Representation of the People Act provides that any non-compliance with the constitutional provisions of this Act or any rule or order made under this Act shall be a ground for declaring the election invalid. Therefore, if the petitioner finds that during the counting of votes, the central government employees appointed as counting supervisors and counting assistants supported the BJP candidate, thereby leading to the failure of the petitioner’s candidate, the petitioner is free to challenge the same in the election petition.”“The high court, while dismissing the petition, also said, “It is the prerogative of the office of the Supreme Court”. election commission of india Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants are appointed from the state government or central government. This Court does not find anything illegal in appointing Central Government/Central Public Utility Employees instead of State Government employees for appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants. “The high court also said, “Only the counting supervisor and counting assistants will not be present in the counting room. Micro observers, counting agents of contesting candidates and counting staff will also be present in the counting room. Therefore, the allegations of the petitioner cannot be believed.”