Suvendu Adhikari flags concern over alleged spreadsheet leak of election duty assignments ahead of West Bengal vote counting
The Statesman | 4 May 2026
On the eve of the vote counting day in West Bengal, political tension rose sharply after senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari made serious allegations about the handling of election duty information. His post on X (formerly Twitter) triggered fresh debate over the safety and confidentiality of the counting process.
Adhikari, who is the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and a BJP candidate from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram, claimed that sensitive details of counting officials were being shared outside official channels. He said this issue could affect the fairness of the counting process scheduled to take place soon.
In his post, Suvendu Adhikari alleged that counting officers had disclosed important information such as their duty locations, assigned roles, and official designations. According to him, these details were being passed on to various “organisations and associations”.
He further claimed that spreadsheets and lists containing this information were actively circulating within such groups. He suggested that officers may have shared these details either willingly or under pressure.
However, he did not name any specific organisation or provide direct proof in the post.
Adhikari described this situation as a serious breach of established election rules and procedures. He said that the confidentiality expected from election officials was being compromised at a crucial stage of the electoral process.
The BJP leader also raised concerns about the possible consequences of such disclosures. He warned that once details of deployment become public, counting staff could be exposed to political pressure or intimidation.
He explained that if such information reaches groups with political interests or bias, it could create environment where officials feel unsafe or influenced. According to him, this would damage the trust required for a fair counting process.
Adhikari stressed that election duty information must remain strictly confidential. He said that any leakage of such data could weaken the neutrality of the entire system and affect public confidence in the results.
In his message, Suvendu Adhikari called for immediate attention from the Election Commission of India as well as the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal. He urged them to look into the matter without delay.
He requested “urgent information” and action to ensure that the counting process remains transparent and free from outside influence.
According to him, protecting the secrecy of deployment details is essential to maintain order and fairness during counting.