New Delhi: Stepping up its attack, the CPI-M accused the Election Commission of showing an anti-Left "bias."
Party leader, Nilotpal Basu demanded EC to close the disqualification proceedings against 10 party MPs including Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on the office of profit issue.
"We are constrained to come to the conclusion that the EC is biased. Its role in this matter has been absolutely undemocratic and unacceptable, which does not behave of a Constitutional authority," CPI-M leader and former MP Nilotpal Basu said.
"EC itself had said that there is no material evidence to start any enquiry into the issue. Yet, our names have been put up on its website. This has facilitated a media trial to the effect that we are being blamed for holding offices of profit," said Basu.
He told media that the EC had earlier dropped a case against a BJP Rajya Sabha MP immediately after his term had expired.
"Whereas our names continue to be displayed on the website indicating that we are the accused," he added.
He said that even after two reminders, the complainant, Trinamool Congress MP Mukul Roy, has not been given any time frame for submitting information on his allegations that the CPI-M MPs were holding offices of profit.
Basu said Roy has only filed "photocopies of pages of 'Who is Who' of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha" as additional material to support his charges against the Left MPs.
"It is peculiar that in the entire episode, we are not able to clarify our position, whereas we are being accused of clinging on to offices of profit," said Basu.
"Editorials and articles are being written. A media trial is on holding us guilty. Still, the EC has the cheek to say we have not been put to any inconvenience as no notice has been issued to any of us", he said.
He said had notices been issued against the ten Left MPs, "we would have got an opportunity to shred to pieces the completely malicious and baseless nature of the complaint".
Replying to questions whether Sriniketan-Shantiniketan Development Board headed by Somnath Chatterjee could be called an office of profit, Basu said, "The issue is whether the post has executive powers and whether the one holding it draws emoluments which are more than that he earns from the legislature".
The CPI-M leader said natural justice should ensure that there should be disincentives for making fake complaints and allegations and "constitutional authorities cannot become post boxes".
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