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Ahead of the upcoming elections to various State legislatures, the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr S.Y. Quraishi, has said that 25 to 40 per cent of the legislators have criminal records or cases pending against them.
Mr Quraishi, who was in Kolkata on a two-day visit to review the poll preparedness in West Bengal, said: “When people ask us about legislators with criminal backgrounds it becomes very embarrassing. People know that at least 25 to 40 per cent of all legislators have a criminal background and so it becomes very difficult for us to justify how such a situation is allowed to continue.”
In order to reverse the trend, Election Commission has already proposed that those with pending criminal cases that attract a minimum imprisonment of five years be barred from contesting elections. The matter is currently under consideration, he added.
Scanner on Officials
The CEC added that the Election Commission is keeping watch on some officials, including those in the rank of police superintendent and district magistrate, in West Bengal for allegedly not working neutrally.
“We have three-four officers under observation at different levels for not working neutrally. These officers include police superintendents and district magistrates,” he said.
No Camps in Schools
Police personnel and Central forces will not be allowed to set up camps on school premises in the State. They will be allowed into the school premises where there are polling stations on the day of the polls only, Mr Quraishi added.
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