Full Breakdown
TMC and Opposition Accuse Election Commission of Voter-List Manipulation in West Bengal
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
At a recent INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal was used to “hand over” roughly 150 of the state’s 208 assembly seats to the BJP. She said the exercise deleted voter names in constituencies won by her party by margins larger than the winning gaps, disenfranchising supporters.
Background & Context
SIR is a door-to-door verification process launched by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2025 to remove dead, duplicate, fake or shifted voters. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar oversaw its rollout in West Bengal after the 2024 state election, which the BJP won. Opposition parties contend that the 2023 law granting statutory immunity to election officials was passed when 147 opposition MPs were suspended, suggesting a partisan motive.
Data & Statistics
- Over 27 lakh voters were declared ineligible after SIR in West Bengal.
- Abhishek Banerjee said deletions exceeded winning margins in around 150 seats.
- The TMC alleges vote cuts were four times higher in constituencies it won.
- More than 14,000 cases have been registered against TMC workers since the BJP took power in May 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
- Mamata Banerjee called the SIR “botched up” and dubbed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar “Vanish Kumar.”
- Abhishek Banerjee demanded public release of SIR records, CCTV footage from counting centres in about 100 constituencies, and an independent audit of Form 17C discrepancies.
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged the removal of Kumar, rollback of SIR, and use of pre-SIR rolls in future elections.
- Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (BJP) said the opposition is spreading “fabricated allegations” and defended voter-list verification as essential to democracy.
On-the-Ground Reports
Youth Congress members staged a protest in Thiruvananthapuram on September 30; police dispersed the gathering with lathi charge and tear gas. In West Bengal, TMC MP Mahua Moitra filed a Calcutta High Court petition after eggs were thrown at her on September 16, citing police inaction despite a prior security order. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh reported a stone-and-egg attack on his vehicle on September 26 while traveling to a rally.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The TMC cites “around 150 seats” affected, while some officials refer to “nearly 150 seats.”
- Abhishek Banerjee claims deletions exceeded winning margins, but the EC has not released independent verification.
- The EC maintains SIR is lawful and has withstood court scrutiny, yet the Supreme Court will hear a petition challenging the EC’s functioning under Kumar “next week.” No independent audit of the roll changes has been made public.
What’s Next
- The INDIA bloc announced a “Save Democracy March” from October 2 to October 8, with a planned march to the Election Commission on October 6.
- Opposition leaders intend to meet President Droupadi Murmu in the second week of October to raise concerns over the EC.
- The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition challenging the SIR exercise “next week.”
- Further protests and an impeachment motion against Gyanesh Kumar are being prepared by the bloc.