A political storm has erupted in West Bengal over the issue of proxy voting and alleged illegal voters.
A day after Trinamul Congress (TMC) chairperson and chief minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission and accused it of tampering with voters’ list, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit back, moving the Election Commission against her remarks. On Thursday, at a mega TMC meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the newly-appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. She alleged that the entire Election Commission was filled with BJP loyalists and accused the poll body of manipulating voters’ lists with “ghost voter cards.” She claimed that, under the Election Commission’s “blessings,” discrepancies were being deliberately created in the electoral rolls.
Reacting strongly to her comments, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, along with BJP leaders Agnimitra Paul and others, approached the Election Commission on Friday. In a formal letter to the CEC, Mr Adhikari condemned Mamata Banerjee’s allegations, stating, “The chief minister has questioned your appointment and claimed that the BJP has placed its own people in the Election Commission. However, as per the 2023 law, the CEC is appointed through a panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union minister nominated by the Prime Minister. Your appointment followed this due process.”
The BJP has accused Mamata Banerjee of deliberately trying to tarnish the Election Commission of India’s credibility. Suvendu Adhikari also raised concerns about illegal voters and alleged infiltration of Rohingyas in Bengal, stating that the TMC and Congress have turned them into legitimate voters to manipulate electoral outcomes. “The TMC is playing with fire,” he warned. With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, the issue of fake voters and alleged illegal infiltration has once again taken centre stage in Bengal’s political discourse. The BJP has demanded strict action against Mamata Banerjee’s remarks, accusing her of maligning a constitutional body for political gains.