Parties seek single-phase polls, error-free voter list at ECI meet
The Statesman | 10 March 2026
Most political parties in West Bengal on Monday urged the Election Commission to conduct the upcoming Assembly elections in a single phase and ensure that no legitimate voter is left out of the electoral rolls during a series of meetings held by the poll panel’s full bench in Kolkata.
The meetings were chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who is currently on a visit to the state along with other Election Commissioners to review preparedness ahead of the Assembly elections.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pressed for election in fewer phases, preferably in one or two rounds, the Left parties urged for single-phase polls.
Leaders of the Left parties, led by Mohammed Salim, met the commission’s full Bench and echoed the demand for a single-phase election in the state.
“We have no objection if the election was conducted in a maximum of two phases,” Salim said.
Raising concerns about the pending cases in voters list, Salim said: “Around 6 million applications and objections regarding the electoral roll are still under consideration and need to be resolved quickly. It should be finalised at the earliest and a complete and updated voter list should be published.”
Salim added that those whose names have been removed from the rolls should be given an opportunity to reapply so that eligible voters are not disenfranchised.
The ruling All India Trinamool Congress also met the Commission amid the ongoing political tussle over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The party’s delegation included ministers Firhad Hakim and Chandrima Bhattacharya and newly-nominated MP Rajiv Kumar.
She said the party had highlighted discrepancies related to Form 6 and Form 7 applications during the revision process.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, assured political parties that the Election Commission of India would take all necessary steps to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections in West Bengal, on Monday.
The Election Commission’s meetings with political parties are part of its ongoing review of the state’s election preparedness.
With the Assembly election schedule expected to be announced soon, the discussions are aimed at addressing administrative concerns, security arrangements, and voter list issues before the polling process begins.