West Bengal Voter Roll Controversy: TMC Accuses BJP, EC of Political Manipulation

Abhishek Banerjee, a key figure in the Trinamool Congress (TMC), launched a strong criticism against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission (EC) during a press conference on Tuesday. He accused them of orchestrating the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal with the aim of excluding legitimate voters, thereby shifting the political landscape just ahead of the 2026 state elections.

Banerjee expressed concerns that the EC was hastily conducting a "massive task" that previously spanned two years, in an attempt to bring the state's administration under tighter control and hinder the functioning of the democratically elected government. He alleged that this exercise serves not as a mechanism of inclusion but rather exclusion, asserting the BJP's influence over the process.

The TMC leader highlighted the selective targeting of West Bengal, pointing out the shared borders of five Northeastern states with Bangladesh and Myanmar. He issued a stark warning that the removal of even a single eligible voter's name would provoke a mass protest by one lakh Bengalis outside the EC office in Delhi. Despite the controversy, Banerjee assured that the TMC is set to "increase its seat tally" in next year's Assembly elections.