Ruling Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta has lambasted the Election Commission over its “failure to prevent violence in the union parishad elections”.

“Nine people have been killed [in the second phase polls]; we can not keep close our eyes in this stage,” said Suranjit at a programme at  capital's Dhakeshwari Temple.

Terming the EC the most powerful commission, he said: “It has the right to scrap an election if it wishes. But what is this EC? It does not move, or budge.”

Suranjit, also the president of the parliamentary standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs, also criticised the commission as it failed to hold trial for the election violence casualties.   

Suranjit also criticised EC for inactive role in preventing attack on the minority community during the polls.

In the first-phase of the election held on March 22, at least 10 people lost their lives. The toll rised to 20 after completion of the second phase. At least 11 others were killed in pre-election violence.