Tensions between West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) boiled over Wednesday (April 8), with a delegation meeting turning acrimonious and the poll body issuing a stern ‘straight-talk’ on ensuring fear-free polls.
TMC MP Derek O’Brien accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of ending their discussion “within minutes”, while ECI countered claims of shouting and indiscipline. This flare-up underscores deeper rifts over electoral roll revisions and official neutrality as West Bengal’s two-phase assembly elections near on April 23 and April 29.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said, “I am deeply saddened that many names have been deleted. This was mentioned in the Supreme Court order. After we moved court, some names were restored, as per the order, those under adjudication were to be included. About 32 lakh names have been restored, but the remaining 58 lakh have not even been opened yet. Some may be valid deletions, like deceased voters, but around 27.6 lakh cases are still under adjudication. I believe everyone should have the right to vote. If their names are not restored, many people will not be able to vote. We will go to court again if needed.”
Derek O’Brien’s explosive claims and ECI rebuttal
A TMC delegation, including MPs Derek O’Brien, Menaka Guruswamy, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale, met CEC Gyanesh Kumar at Nirvachan Sadan in the national capital today to raise alarms on election officials’ neutrality in West Bengal. They alleged political biases and conflicts undermining fair polls, urging swift corrective action.
The session, starting at 10:02 am, ended by 10:07 am, as per Derek O’Brien. At a fiery press conference, he claimed the CEC dismissed them rudely, “He told us ‘get lost’ within 7 minutes. When we questioned official transfers and fair elections, he said, ‘leave from here’.”
Derek O’Brien called it “a shame” and challenged ECI to release video or audio footage. He noted a colleague’s quip congratulating Gyanesh Kumar as the only CEC facing Lok Sabha-Rajya Sabha removal notices, with anti-BJP parties set for a joint presser.
ECI officials hit back, stating Gyanesh Kumar urged O’Brien to maintain decorum amid ‘shouting and inappropriate behaviour,’ unacceptable in Election Commission premises.
चुनाव आयोग की तृणमूल कांग्रेस को दो टूक
पश्चिम बंगाल में इस बार चुनाव:
भय रहित,
हिंसा रहित,
धमकी रहित,
प्रलोभन रहित,
छापा रहित,
बूथ एवं सोर्स जामिंग रहित होकर ही रहेंगेECI's Straight-talk to Trinamool Congress
This time, the Elections in West Bengal would surely be :… pic.twitter.com/p5fM8Uu337
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) April 8, 2026
Voter roll wars and ECI’s firm stance on clean polls
The standoff stems from disputes over West Bengal‘s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. TMC accuses ECI of BJP-orchestrated deletions, citing a Nandigram Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader accompanying the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). They claim 27 lakh of 60 lakh adjudicated voters were axed, slashing total voter count from 7.66 crore to 7.04 crore- a 61 lakh swing.
TMC briefing labelled ECI as “de facto BJP operatives,” predicting failure for such “dirty conspiracies.”
In response, ECI’s X post delivered “straight-talk” to TMC, “This time, the Elections in West Bengal would surely be- Fear-free, Violence-free, Intimidation-free, Inducement-free and without any Raid, Booth Jamming and Source Jamming.”
It vows no tolerance for booth or source disruptions during polling for the 294-seat assembly, with results on May 4 (Monday).