TMC moves Supreme Court against exclusion of State employees from vote counting supervisor duty

The All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) has moved the Supreme Court against the Chief Electoral Officer's decision to deploy only Central government employees as vote counting supervisors for the assembly elections in West Bengal.

The matter is listed for urgent hearing on Saturday before a Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi since counting of votes is scheduled to be held on May 4.

The plea has been filed against the order of the Calcutta High Court, which had dismissed the petition on Thursday.

The High Court had said that it is the prerogative of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to appoint the counting supervisor and counting assistant either from the State government or the Central government. 

"This Court does not find any illegality for appointing counting supervisor and counting assistant from the Central Government/Central PSU employee instead of State Government employee," the High Court said.

It further stated that the TMC can later file elections petitions to challenge the results in case they find the central government employees favouring BJP candidates.

"If the petitioner proves that the Central Government/Central PSU employees appointed as counting supervisor and counting assistants, helped the opponent of the petitioner by manipulating votes while counting the same, the petitioner has the liberty to take all the points in the election petition," the High Court said.