We would have removed SEC, if we had 2/3 majority: Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: Continuing attack on State Election Commission, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday questioned the previous Left Front government's decision to extend the tenure of State Election Commissioner Mira Pandey by three years, and said had her party got two-third majority in Assembly, she would have removed her from the post.

Without naming Pandey, Banerjee said at party rallies at Lalgarh and Debra in West Midnapore district that the CPI(M) led government had extended her (Pandey's) tenure when defeat in the 2011 Assembly polls was staring the party in the face.

"We did not appoint her. Her term was extended from three to six years during the previous Left Front regime," she said, adding that the Left Front government went to the extent of amending the relevant law for the purpose. "Had we got two-third majority in the Assembly, we would have definitely removed her," she said.

Claiming that she had not wanted panchayat election to take place during Ramzan and monsoon, Banerjee targeted the SEC again, saying her government had been compelled to accept the SEC's "game plan" because the term of the panchayats was coming to an end.