Kolkata, West Bengal: On Kaliganj bypoll election, Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya says, We have come across certain documents and information regarding the election scheduled to be held tomorrow in Kaliganj, in the district of Nadia. As is widely known, this is a by-election being conducted by the National Election Commission. The National Election Commission had floated a tender on June 2, inviting parties to submit their proposals for providing webcasting services for the election.
00:00We have come across certain documents and information regarding the election to be conducted tomorrow at Kali-Gonj in the district of Nodhya, the assembly constituency number is 80.
00:21Now, the National Election Commission, who is in season of this election, it is to everyone's knowledge that this is a by-election of an assembly constituency and this is conducted by the National Election Commission.
00:42Now, National Election Commission had floated a tender on the 2nd of June, asking parties to give their documents so that they can have this website.
01:05Website, I tell you, they wanted a webcasting service, webcasting service, and a tender was floated for webcasting service.
01:20Now, many had participated, now in the pre-bid, which was held on the 4th of June, in the pre-bid session, many had objected to the conditions, to the stringent condition, which had not happened either to before.
01:40Why?
01:41Why?
01:42Why such conditions were put in the tender document?
01:45Because one of the documents, I mean, one of the condition was that they should be having last three years, in the last three years, one project at least involving a minimum of 100 vehicle mounted live video streaming units.
02:05So, this was something which was never done before, neither in the election in 2016, nor in 2019, nor in 2024.
02:17Now, this was a very stringent condition, and the pre-bidders who had actually, many had, I mean, participated in the tender, but they did not have this qualification.
02:28Now, three had been chosen, finally.
02:32The first one was Vrihoshpoti.
02:35Vrihoshpoti was disqualified on the ground that they had not executed live wave streaming in 20,000 locations.
02:45So, first disqualified Vrihoshpoti.
02:49Then, INET, INET had participated and had quoted rupees 18.02 lakhs, and having strong credentials.
03:00And this company had strong credentials, and they had their, I mean, experience, but mysteriously, only 15 marks were given.
03:13Now, thereafter, one V Mukti, who is a company from Gujarat, that company was given 100 out of 100.
03:23Now, kindly, please enlighten me, how one can be fully perfect, 100 upon 100, how one can get, I do not know.
03:33I was just questioning myself that, am I a little, I mean, backward in this matter.
03:42So, however, they had got it.
03:44Now, therefore, both the tenders were, they had been disqualified because of this, and the third tender was L1, and this was selected.
03:57So, this is in clear violation of the pre-qualification documents which were ignored and everything, whatever had been done on the part of the election commission.
04:10Now, we hold a great respect for the national election commission.
04:15We believe that the national election commission will not act as a political party, and not at the behest of any political party.
04:23This is what we are saying.
04:25They will not act, they should not act, because constitution doesn't say this.
04:30Therefore, they have to be actually within the four corners of the constitution.
04:37And therefore, therefore, we say that these are the facts which trains to show that something is there behind the veil.
04:50We think and we believe that this should not be there.
04:55And the election commission will be actually alert regarding these matters, because this should not happen.
05:04Actually, something else, even if it finds place in the mind of someone, then election commission should be alert about that.
05:12The commission should be conscious about that.
05:17I have written a letter today.
05:19I have sent it through mail.
05:21This is the letter which had gone today from my end to the election, chief election commissioner.
05:27And even we have sent a copy to the CEO of West Bengal.
05:33So this is why we say that please have your independent views.
05:39And when you conduct the election, please do not act at the behest of any party.
