Always available for meeting with governor: Bengal SEC Rajiva Sinha

Kolkata: West Bengal State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha, who is in the eye of a storm after his joining report was sent back by Governor CV Ananda Bose ahead of the panchayat election, on Friday said he is always available for a meeting with Raj Bhavan.

A senior official of the State Election Commission said Sinha did not receive any written communication so far about the governor returning the joining report on Wednesday night.

Bose’s move came apparently after the retired-IAS officer failed to appear before the governor after he was summoned to explain the murders, violence and clashes during nomination filing for the rural polls.

Sinha, when contacted over the phone by PTI, refused to comment on the matter, except saying: “I am always available for a meeting with the governor.” Sinha’s name was recommended for the position of the SEC by the state government and approved by the governor.

The former chief secretary of West Bengal had given intimation and met Bose soon after he joined as the state election commissioner which is a constitutional post, the senior official who refused to be quoted told PTI.

Sinha on June 8 announced the date for the three-tier panchayat elections. Widespread violence over the filing of nominations for the July 8 polls has left six people dead and several injured in various parts of the state.

The SEC was asked to meet the governor on June 17 and at that time he sought an exemption because the process of scrutiny of nomination papers was underway, the commission official clarified.

“On the same day later, he had informed the governor that he was available for a meeting,” the official said.

According to a former IAS officer, the joining report is just a formality.

“Sinha was appointed as the SEC following due process. He will continue as the SEC since he has not resigned, nor was his appointment cancelled,” the officer said.

Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday said though he had appointed Sinha as the SEC, he was “disappointed” because of apparent inaction in controlling pre-panchayat poll violence.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, ruled out removing Sinha, asserting that the rural poll nomination process was peaceful.