BJP hails SC's closing of Trinamool plea on Bengal counting staff

Kolkata, May 2 (IANS) BJP leaders in West Bengal on Saturday welcomed the apex court's refusal to interfere with the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to appoint Central government and Central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees as counting supervisors and assistants, while hearing a plea filed by the Trinamool Congress challenging a Calcutta High Court order. The Supreme Court, however, directed that the poll panel’s own circular providing for state government nominees, must be followed "in letter and spirit.”

Reacting on the order, Bengal BJP President, Samik Bhattacharya accused the Trinamool Congress of wasting taxpayers' money in paying fees to senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the state's ruling party.

"We will reveal the amount to the public after coming to power," he told reporters.

He added: "People have already rejected Trinamool."

Union Minister of State, Sukanta Majumdar, alleged that the Trinamool Congress had approached the court because they wanted that the counting process in West Bengal should be conducted by state government employees who are associated with their organisation.

"However, when the Election Commission decided that counting would be done by Central Government employees, Trinamool tried to oppose and stop this decision. As a result, they (Trinamool) went to the Supreme Court," he told IANS.

Majumdar took a swipe at MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee.

"Kalyan Banerjee should not be sent to the Supreme Court repeatedly, as he keeps losing such cases. Send some good lawyer," he said.

BJP candidate Dilip Ghosh added: "Whoever has lost in front of the public cannot win anywhere else."

However, State Minister and Trinamool candidate Shashi Panja alleged that while elections have been conducted in other states too, the steps that are being taken by the poll panel in West Bengal have not been taken in other places.

"The Supreme Court has given its decision, and we are now keeping a close watch on it. We have to respect the judgment, and nothing more," she told reporters.

Trinamool MP Saugata Roy maintained that the apex court's decision is "not a major setback".

"It’s a simple Supreme Court order. We had asked that both state government employees and central government employees should be included in the counting parties," he told IANS.

Meanwhile, recording the assurance given by senior advocate Dama Naidu, appearing for the ECI, the apex court disposed of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) without issuing further directions.

Naidu submitted that vote counting on May 4 would take place in the presence of the state government nominee as contemplated under the ECI’s circular.