The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India has agreed to meet leaders of the Trinamul Congress (TMC) on 28 November at 11 a.m, signalling a crucial dialogue amid mounting tensions over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengal.
The poll panel, however, said it was willing to meet a delegation comprising TMC’s authorised representative and four others.
This step is part of the Election Commission of India’s ongoing efforts to engage with political parties and address their concerns ahead of upcoming elections.
The Trinamul Congress has decided to send a team of 10 MPs to meet the Election Commission of India (ECI) officials on 28 November.
The members, who will meet the CEC Gyanesh Kumar are Derek O’ Brien, Satabdi Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, Dola Sen, Pratima Mondol, Sajda Ahmed, Mamata Thakur, Mahua Moitra, Saket Gokhale and Prakash Chik Baraik.
Abhishek Banerjee, party’s national general secretary in his X handle wrote: “If the @ECISVEEP is genuinely transparent why it is scared to meet just 10 MPs? Hold the meeting openly. Telecast it live and answer the straightforward, legitimate questions that the AITC will place before you. Is the Election Commission willing to prove its transparency or does it function behind closed doors.”
In a series of letters from top TMC leadership, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, serious questions have been raised about the management and human cost of the SIR exercise. On 24 November, Miss Banerjee wrote to CEC Gyanesh Kumar, questioning whether the Election Commission’s initiatives were being undertaken “at the behest of a political party to serve vested interests.” This was her second letter in recent days; in an earlier letter dated 20 November, she had urged the Commission to halt the SIR, citing unbearable strain and distress, including suicides among Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the process.
In response to concerns from TMC MPs, including Derek O’Brien, the CEC has also referred the matter to the panel responsible for strengthening communication with political parties. The upcoming meeting with TMC leaders reflects the Commission’s commitment to maintaining open and transparent channels of communication with all stakeholders to ensure the integrity of elections.
While the specific agenda is not mentioned on the CEC’s letter to the TMC leaders, it is expected the TMC leaders will prominently raise the issue of deaths of BLOs engaged in carrying out the SIR exercise in West Bengal while the poll panel will focus on election preparations, the conduct of the SIR, and addressing party-specific grievances.
The engagement is being closely monitored given TMC’s significant influence in West Bengal and its active role in recent electoral debates. The meeting underscores the delicate balance the Election Commission must maintain between enforcing electoral reforms and addressing political sensitivities to uphold the democratic process.