"People want EC to provide free and fair atmosphere to cast votes," says TMC's Santanu Sen

"After the drafting of the Indian Constitution in 1950, the first Lok Sabha elections were held in 1952. To this day, it was never before seen that the Election Commission is also being controlled by the BJP and Central ruling body, just like they treat other independent, autonomous bodies," said Sen.

The TMC MP further alleged that ECI has become another office of the BJP, adding to which he said, "CJI was removed and the Prime Minister and Home Minister are nominating the members of the Election Commission. This Election Commission has become His Master's Voice."

Sen demanded, "People of the country want the Election Commission to provide a free and fair atmosphere where people can cast their votes."

He further added, "We feel that this EC can't possibly provide such an atmosphere. So, we have demanded that the 2024 elections be held under Supreme Court monitoring."

Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Tuesday demanded Supreme Court-monitored Lok Sabha polls alleging that BJP's tricks are destroying the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The TMC leader hit out at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing them of manipulating the electoral landscape ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

"BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like ECI. Is BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Oppn? ECI or HMV? Transferring officers of elected State govts! For free & fair elections. We want a Supreme Court-monitored election," O'Brien stated in a post on X. (ANI)