TMC vs EC: Mamata govt questions Election Commission over appointment of ‘BJP-linked’ officals in Bengal
The Statesman | 25 March 2026
A fresh political row has erupted between the Trinamool Congress and the Election Commission, with the ruling party in West Bengal alleging bias in the appointment of key officials ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has formally approached the Election Commission of India, objecting to the appointment of Surajit Roy as the Returning Officer for the high-profile Bhabanipur Assembly constituency.
In its complaint, the party claimed that Roy is closely associated with Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and could act under his influence. Bhabanipur is currently represented by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and is set to witness a direct contest between her and Adhikari, who has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The controversy has widened with the Trinamool Congress raising objections over the appointment of a police observer in Malda district. Party leaders alleged that an Indian Police Service officer, Jayant Kant, appointed as observer for four Assembly segments, has links to the BJP.
At a press briefing, state minister Bratya Basu and party MP Partha Bhowmik questioned the officer’s neutrality, citing his wife’s alleged association with BJP leaders in Bihar.
According to the party, the officer has been assigned to oversee polling in Mothabari, Baishnabnagar, Manikchak, and Sujapur constituencies in Malda, all located near the Bihar border and considered politically sensitive.
“The four Assembly constituencies for which the said police officer from Bihar had been made the police observer are Mothabari, Baishnabnagar, Manikchak, and Sujapur. All four assembly constituencies are adjacent to Bihar. The wife of the police officer is again a BJP leader from the Jamui area in Bihar, which is very close to the state border with Malda. So our question is how a police officer, whose wife is a BJP leader, will perform in an unbiased manner. The ECI is deliberately deputing such officers as poll observers to give the BJP an advantage in the forthcoming West Bengal assembly polls,” Basu said.
The dispute comes after the Election Commission’s decision to replace 73 returning officers across West Bengal earlier this week. TMC attacked the Commission on this issue and claimed that it is to be seen whether BJP-confident officers had been sent as replacements.
The developments have intensified the political confrontation between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP ahead of the crucial state polls.
West Bengal is scheduled to vote in a two-phase Assembly election on April 23 and April 29, with counting set for May 4. The Bhabanipur contest, in particular, is being closely watched as it pits two of the state’s most prominent political figures against each other.
With both sides trading charges, the spotlight is now on the Election Commission’s response to the allegations and the conduct of the polls in one of the country’s most politically charged states.