Trinamool alleges ‘silent rigging’ after new electoral roll sparks row
Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI), along with the BJP have used the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process to silence dissent and steal Bengal’s mandate in the upcoming polls.
“Mr Vanish Kumar’s ECI, puppeteered by BJP’s Bangla-birodhi zamindars, has weaponised the rolls to silence dissent, rig the game, and steal Bengal’s mandate,” said the party following the publication of the electoral rolls, claiming that several elected representatives and constitutional officeholders have found their names either deleted or placed under adjudication.
In a strongly worded statement, the party accused the ECI of arbitrarily flagging or removing names, including those of public figures who regularly file affidavits and hold constitutional or elected posts. Among those cited by the party is Richa Ghosh, a member of the Women’s Cricket World Cup-winning team, whose name has been placed “under adjudication”.
Questioning the audacity of ECI, Abhishek Banerjee stated: “If such a gem is under adjudication, then the World Cup is also under adjudication.”
Names of Naihati Municipality councillor Sushanta Sarkar and his mother, Arati Sarkar, were also allegedly deleted. TMC further claimed that the names of Md. Ghulam Rabbani, a Member-in-Charge (MIC) and three-time Amdanga MLA Rafiqur Rahaman, have been placed under adjudication. The list, the party said, also includes Kumarganj MLA Toraf Hossain Mandal, Chanditala MLA Swati Khandoker and Birbhum Zilla Parishad Sabhadhipati Kajal Sheikh and his mother.
Additionally, serving Block Development Officers (BDOs) Sayanten Sen of Sandeshkhali-I and Prasenjit Kundu of Maynaguri were reportedly marked under adjudication or deleted. Even some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), tasked with conducting the revision exercise, were flagged.
According to data released alongside the roll, over five lakh names were deleted in the first phase, while a substantial number remain under adjudication pending verification.
Reiterating its charge, TMC said, “If elected representatives and constitutional officeholders can be erased or questioned arbitrarily, what hope remains for ordinary citizens?”
