Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded on Friday the setting up of a collegium on the lines of the Supreme Court to appoint election commissioners, asserting that the three nominated members of the poll panel should not be given the mandate to hold elections.
The Trinamool Congress chief hit out at the Election Commission for what she alleged was its partisan approach during the Lok Sabha polls. "In the Supreme Court, there is a collegium to decide (on the appointment of judges). In the Election Commission, too, there should be a collegium to decide on the appointment of elections commissioners," Banerjee said.
"Three nominated members can't have the mandate to conduct the polls." The TMC had hit out at the commission several times during the general election, accusing it of being under the influence of the Centre.
The chief minister appealed to the Opposition to together demand the constitution of a fact-finding committee to unravel the alleged tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs). "There are numerous evidences of EVM programming and election malpractices.
We think there should be a fact-finding committee to unravel the tampering of EVMs, hawala transactions," she said. "Other Opposition parties should also demand it. I will speak to the Congress regarding this demand," Banerjee said after a party meeting here.
Justifying her decision to not attend a Niti Aayog meeting, Banerjee said it was "simply useless" to attend the meet as she claimed that the agenda of the meeting was being set by the Centre without consulting the states.
