Kolkata, April 16 (IANS): The CPI(M) has complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) through the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, about inclusion of contractual government employees in poll-related training.

A four-member delegation of CPI(M) met the CEO, West Bengal Aariz Aftab and complained that several contractual state government employees had been participating at a training workshop on polls.

According to the CPI(M) Central Committee member, Robin Deb, there were instances where even employees of a corporate entity responsible for creating advertisements for the ruling Trinamool Congress had participated in the workshop.

Deb pointed out that the ECI has made it clear that contractual employees cannot be used in poll-related duties at any cost.

In the complaint, the CPI(M) leadership alleged that in certain districts like East Midnapore there are instances of festoons and banners of the ruling party being attached on vehicles associated with the public-transport system.

The party leadership has argued that if posters and banners are attached on any vehicle used for commercial purposes, it should be counted as the election expenditure of the political party concerned.