West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would move the Supreme Court if valid voters’ names deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) are not restored, alleging that lakhs remain excluded from electoral rolls.
Voter list revision row escalates
Addressing a gathering after filing her nomination from Bhabanipur for the 2026 Assembly elections, Banerjee said that while around 32 lakh names have been restored following court intervention, a large number of cases remain unresolved. She claimed that about 27.6 lakh voters are still under adjudication and warned that many could be deprived of their franchise if corrective steps are not taken. “Everyone should have the right to vote. If names are not restored, we will go to court again,” she said.
Tense face-off with Election Commission
The issue of voter list revision also figured in a tense meeting earlier in the day between a TMC delegation and the Election Commission of India, which ended on a bitter note with both sides trading allegations over conduct.
TMC leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, said the seven-minute interaction with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar turned acrimonious, alleging that the CEC asked them to “get lost” after they raised concerns and submitted letters from Banerjee highlighting alleged irregularities and links between some poll officials and the BJP.
Election Commission sources, however, rejected the charge and accused the TMC delegation of “shouting” during the meeting, describing the exchange as “straight talk”. The poll body maintained that the upcoming elections in West Bengal would be conducted in a “fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement-free” manner.
High-stakes Bhabanipur contest
Meanwhile, Banerjee filed her nomination from Bhabanipur, setting up a high-profile contest against BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. The two leaders had previously faced off in Nandigram during the 2021 Assembly elections, where Adhikari emerged victorious.
Expressing confidence in her party’s prospects, Banerjee said the TMC would return to power, adding that Bhabanipur holds deep personal significance for her.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
Published on April 8, 2026