Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress national general secretary, on Wednesday took to his social media handle in a bid to substantiate his earlier charge that the Election Commission had turned into a “WhatsApp Commission”.
He shared screenshots of chats allegedly involving a special roll observer to claim that the EC had been running the special intensive revision (SIR) process through WhatsApp chats in violation of the Supreme Court’s order.
"Is the @ECISVEEP of the view that directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court can be openly FLOUTED? The highest Court of the land has repeatedly emphasised transparency, due process, and adherence to official channels of communication. Yet we are witnessing instructions being circulated over WhatsApp rather than through formal, traceable, and accountable mechanisms," Abhishek wrote on his social media handle.
He shared four screenshots of WhatsApp texts where special roll observer C. Murugan purportedly dictated instructions to poll officials.
Abhishek earlier repeatedly alleged that the EC was not issuing instructions through official letterheads and was instead running the SIR process through WhatsAPP texts.
Abhishek's charge, backed by what he indicated as proof, came on social media a day after his aunt and chief minister Mamata Banerjee launched an unprecedented attack on the EC, asking it to learn democratic electoral lessons from neighbouring Bangladesh.
Mamata also termed the poll body’s operations in Bengal as “Tughlaq-style” and alleged that it favoured one political party, indicating the BJP.
Abhishek had accused the Election Commission of issuing instructions regarding birth certificates directly to micro-observers in a WhatsApp group to inflate deletion numbers.
"Even more disturbing are credible reports of Special Roll Observer, C. Murugan, issuing instructions regarding the acceptability of birth certificates directly to Micro Observers in a WhatsApp group, to inflate deletion numbers. Need I remind the ECI of the Supreme Court’s categorical directive that the role of micro-observers must remain strictly assistive? Why, then, is statutory procedure being bypassed, and under whose instructions?" asked the Diamond Harbour MP.
He also asked how roll observers designated in districts were allegedly operating from Calcutta.
"Additionally, Roll Observers are designated district-wise, yet it is seen that login credentials linked to these observers are being accessed from a central location in Kolkata. Login Data is being misused to generate queries and specifically target a certain community at the direction of ECI’s political masters in Delhi. Should this matter be independently examined, it will be established that the tower location and IP address of the login device differ from the actual location of the concerned roll observer," he wrote.
"The Election Commission derives its legitimacy from PUBLIC TRUST, not POLITICAL PATRONAGE. We shall pursue this matter before the highest court of law. Further, any person aligning themselves with or acting at the behest of Zamindars of Delhi will face stringent and uncompromising legal action. Brace yourselves!" Abhishek added.
Although the EC has not issued an official statement on Abhishek's allegation, poll officers close to Murugan said that he had not given any instructions on WhatsApp but only provided clarifications in response to specific queries.
Multiple sources believe that the repeated attacks on the Election Commission by Mamata and Abhishek, who have reminded it of legal consequences, are part of Trinamool's strategy to mount pressure on the poll body ahead of the publication of the final electoral roll on February 28.
“It is no longer a hidden fact that the EC has been working hand in glove with the BJP to help them in the Bengal elections. The best course is to expose them and drag them to a court of law. Abhishek’s post also carried a clear warning that the party is ready to fight a long legal battle against any wrongdoing in the SIR process,” said a Trinamool leader.
The BJP, however, believes that the scathing attacks from Mamata and Abhishek stem from Trinamool's panic over the SIR's roll-cleansing process, prompting them to attempt to halt a constitutional exercise.
“Abhishek Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee have been trying hard to stop the SIR. It's clear that they are interested in halting it. Names of 10,000 or 20,000 voters each have been deleted from different areas. The number of deletions is higher in the (Assembly) constituencies in Calcutta," said BJP’s former state president and Union minister of state Sukanta Majumdar.
He alleged: "I have come to know that in Barrackpore, Trinamool had cast around 50,000 false votes during the last Lok Sabha polls. Now, if the avenue to cast false votes is blocked, the election outcome in that seat could change.”