India, March 25 -- The Trinamool Congress has asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to seek the removal of a state civil servant as the Babanipur returning officer, saying the official was close to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari and there was a reasonable likelihood of bias.

The ruling TMC has also red-flagged the appointment of an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from Bihar, Jayant Kant, as a police observer in Malda district for the state elections, pointing out that he was married to Smrity Paswas, a Bihar BJP leader who has contested elections in the past

In two communications to the poll panel, the TMC said officers deployed by ECI must be completely neutral and free from any external influence.

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