Wed Dec 31 13:59:14 UTC 2025: Summary:
A Trinamool Congress delegation, led by Abhishek Banerjee, met with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to protest alleged manipulation of voter rolls in Bengal during a re-verification drive. Trinamool claims the drive is being used to selectively delete and reclassify voters using opaque methods, creating new categories like “suspicious voters.” Banerjee argued that the focus on EVMs has diverted attention from manipulation of voter rolls, which he calls the real threat. He urged the EC to release the “logical discrepancy list” for transparency and appealed to opposition parties to recognize the issue in their states. Banerjee accused the CEC of bias and undermining the institution. The Election Commission rejected the allegations and issued counter-directions, including enhanced pay for election workers and new polling stations, and warned against intimidation of election officials.
News Article:
Trinamool Accuses Election Commission of Voter Roll Manipulation in Bengal, EC Rejects Claims
New Delhi: A high-level Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation, led by Abhishek Banerjee, met with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday, alleging large-scale manipulation of voter rolls in West Bengal during a recent re-verification drive. The TMC claims the drive is being used to unfairly target voters through opaque, software-driven methods.
Banerjee accused the Election Commission (EC) of “weaponizing” electoral rolls, claiming new and unexplained categories like “suspicious voters” are being used to selectively delete or reclassify voters. He called on the EC to release the “logical discrepancy list” to ensure transparency.
“Vote chori is not happening in EVMs. It’s happening in electoral rolls,” Banerjee stated after the meeting, arguing that the focus on electronic voting machines has overshadowed the real threat to free and fair elections.
Banerjee further alleged that similar problems are occurring in other states and urged opposition parties to coordinate efforts to detect and address the issue. He described the meeting as tense and accused the CEC of bias, claiming his concerns were dismissed.
In response, the Election Commission rejected the TMC’s allegations and issued a series of counter-directions, including the immediate release of enhanced honorariums for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the establishment of additional polling stations in high-density areas. The EC also warned against any intimidation of election officials and threatened strict action against anyone interfering with the election process.
The escalating confrontation comes months before the West Bengal Assembly election and highlights the growing tensions between the ruling TMC and the BJP-led central government.
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