Calcutta, April 25: Deputy election commissioner Anand Kumar today sought an explanation from the expenditure observer in Belgachhia (East), H.R. Bhimashankar, for making “objectionable” comments about the constituency to a television channel.

Bhimashankar had said that Belgachhia (East), from where transport minister Subhas Chakraborty is contesting as a CPM candidate, is a “notorious constituency which has never witnessed free and fair elections. Hence, the Election Commission is taking extraordinary steps in the constituency this time”.

CPM state secretary Biman Bose faxed a letter to chief election commissioner B.B. Tandon, asking him if an expenditure observer was authorised to make such a remark. The deputy election commissioner then spoke to Bhimashankar over the phone and sought an explanation.

“We have received a complaint against the observer from the CPM and are trying to ascertain the facts. We will carry out a thorough inquiry, find out what he has actually said on the channel and report to the commission,” Kumar said tonight.