West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s allegations about the presence of “outsiders at a polling booth in Nandigram”, hasn’t gone well with the Election Commission, which has not only rejected the charges but has also warned the chief minister of action against her conduct at the polling booth on April 1.

Responding to the hand-written letter by Mamata Banerjee alleging irregularities in the voting process on the day of polling on April 1, the Election Commission has given a point-by-point rebuttal, calling the chief minister’s allegations as “factually incorrect” and “devoid of substance”.

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The poll body said the chief minister’s letter regarding booth capturing and the presence of outsiders at a polling booth in Nandigram’s Boyal was “preceded by a massive coverage all over the country… which showed dozens of audio-visual shots of your being in this polling station and literally hurling an avalanche of allegations on some officials working with the government of West Bengal itself, paramilitary forces and eventually the Election Commission”.

Citing reports received from the ground, including its observers, the poll body said, “It is self-evident from the perusal of all the reports that the allegations mentioned in your hand-written note are factually incorrect, without any empirical evidence whatsoever and devoid of substance.”

“A media narrative was sought to be weaved hour after hour to misguide the biggest stakeholders, which is the voters, by a candidate who also happens to be CM of the state,” the Election Commission said, mincing no words in criticising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

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Mamata Banerjee and the poll body have been at loggerheads since the Commission ordered a marathon eight-phase election in Bengal. She has on several occasions accused the poll body of acting on the Centre’s order, the charge strongly dismissed by the EC.

Furthering the response, the poll body said at least this should have been appreciated that the “sideshow” was fraught with immense potential to have an adverse impact on law and order across West Bengal and maybe in some other states, it said.

“And all this was being done when the election process was/is on. There could not have been a greater misdemeanour,” the letter said.

During the election at Nandigram, where Mamata Banerjee is contesting against her former aide Suvendu Adhikari – who switched to the BJP in December – a tense confrontation occurred between the BJP and Trinamool supporters and caught in the crossfire the chief minister had to stay inside a room at a polling booth for nearly two hours.

She was taken to a safer place by the security forces after controlling the crowd at the polling booth.

Mamata Banerjee, who has been campaigning on a wheelchair since the alleged ‘attack’, blamed “outsiders” for creating trouble and also the EC for not acting on complaints of alleged irregularities in the polling process in Nandigram lodged by her party, Trinamool Congress and shot a letter to the poll body.

There has been no response yet from Mamata Banerjee or her party.

Elections are being held in eight phases in West Bengal and votes will be counted on May 2.