On Saturday, May 2, Supreme Court of India called it a “fallacy” nursed by the Trinamool Congress party that West Bengal Government services’ employees owe allegiance to it and Central employees were loyal to or controlled by the political party ruling the Centre. The court made the observation as it closed TMC’s petition which alleged that Election Commission is giving more representation to the central government employees during counting in Bengal.
Kapil Sibal, representing the TMC, argued in court that an Election Commission circular says there has been apprehension from various quarters regarding discrepancy, and they want another central government nominee.
However, Justice Bagchi replied, “”It hardly matters if he is a central government nominee or not. It is to the subjective satisfaction of the EC. Your counting agents will be there and so will others. Then counting assistant, counting supervisor and microobserver who is a central government officer.”
The Supreme Court also highlighted that all government employees belong to the Election Commission during elections, and if it wants, it can choose entirely from one pool, central or state. “What is this proportionate representation concept? All of them are employees of the government”, Justice PS Narasimha noted.
Disposing the petition, Supreme Court said that no further order is necessary in this matter.
TMC has been crying foul about the electoral process ever since the SIR exercise started last year. Now at the end of the electoral process, they have kept on crying foul. Earlier, Kolkata High Court had also dismissed their petition in the matter, and now Supreme Court has disposed the matter.
The counting for West Bengal elections will take place on May 4, Monday.
