The standoff between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) deepened on Friday as the poll body issued a detailed rebuttal to the party’s allegations regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
Sources said the EC clarified all issues raised by the TMC’s 10-member delegation and warned the party not to influence or threaten Booth Level Officers (BLOs) handling entries of dead, shifted, and duplicate voters. The Commission asked TMC to file claims and objections only after the draft voters’ list is released on December 9.
The EC also questioned why the West Bengal government had not yet disbursed enhanced honorarium to BLOs and rejected Mamata Banerjee’s objections over creating booths inside buildings. It reminded the state that polling station rationalisation must follow existing norms and be completed by December 2025.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee called the EC’s statements “outright lies,” demanding release of CCTV footage and accusing the Commission of selective leaks. Meanwhile, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari criticised TMC’s approach, adding fuel to the political row.
