EC to verify caste papers of legislators - in response to a complaint filed with the office of the chief election commissioner

The directive was in response to a complaint filed with the office of the chief election commissioner on Dec 16

According to sources, in the instruction it had been asked to submit a factual report on the issue by January 25. : Telegraph file picture

Avijit Sinha, Soumya De Sarkar   |   TT   |   Siliguri/Malda   |    20.01.21  : The Election Commission has asked the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Bengal to find out whether 14 persons, including three sitting MLAs and a sitting MP, are in possession of original Scheduled Caste certificates.

The directive was in response to a complaint that Asim Kumar Hazra, the chairman of the Bangiya Scheduled Caste Welfare Association, had filed with the office of the chief election commissioner on December 16.

Hazra complained that people like Burdwan East MP Sunil Kumar Mondal, and MLAs Asim Kumar Majhi and Seuli Saha of Trinamul and Dipali Biswas do not belong to the SC community. Mondal had defected from Trinamul to the BJP last month. Biswas had won on CPM ticket from Gazole in Malda district, later he joined Trinamul but recently walked into the BJP.

Sources said in the instruction sent by an under-secretary of the EC to the CEO, it had been asked to submit a factual report on the issue by January 25.

MP Mondal brushed aside the allegation.

“It is nothing but a false allegation as I had obtained scholarships as a student in my school and college level. All my relatives have SC certificates and head of the 2019 Parliament elections, my certificate was verified,” he said.

Majhi also spoke in similar terms. “I have no problem and anyone can probe my caste certificate. There is no doubt regarding my SC certificate as my father obtained the same back in 1978,” he said.

Biswas said: “I belong to the Namashudra community. I am ready to face any probe.”

Saha couldn’t be contacted.

Additional reporting by Snehamoy Chakraborty in Bolpur