NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, West Bengal Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee has responded to an Election Commission show cause notice issued to state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for prima facie violating the model code.
Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena, who is in charge of West Bengal in the EC, confirmed that the Chief Secretary has responded to the show cause notice.
There have been reports that since the EC had addressed Benerjee as 'Chief Minister, West Bengal' instead of Trinamool Congress leader, the state Chief Secretary responded.
"The letter is under the consideration of the Commission...I cannot comment on whether the Commission would accept the Chief Secretary's reply or the contents of the letter...besides admissibility (of the reply), other factors are being considered," Saxena said.
He said it is a practice to mention the designation of the person to whom the notice is being served. It is delivered by a person mandated by the state Chief Electoral Officer.
The Commission had received the response yesterday.
Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had announced in Kolkata last week that Banerjee has been served with a show cause notice for announcing creation of a new district in the poll-bound state.
The Chief Minister had responded at an election rally by saying that "on the first day of the Bengali new year, the EC has sent me a show cause notice over things I had said. I will say it again, I will say it a thousand times."
The Commission has already shunted out Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar over allegations of bias towards the ruling party.