Stopped at the gate: Abhishek Banerjee denied entry to counting centre in south Kolkata
The Statesman | 5 May 2026
The Election Commission of India on Monday denied Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee entry into a counting centre in south Kolkata, even as officials at another key venue flagged a separate breach involving mobile phones carried by top political leaders.
Counting for West Bengal’s two-phase Assembly elections is underway across 293 constituencies, with tight security and strict protocols in place to ensure transparency. The developments come amid early trends that have already set the tone for a high-stakes political battle in the state.
According to an official from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office, Abhishek Banerjee was stopped from entering the counting centre at Hastings because he is not a candidate in the current Assembly elections. The directive was issued by the Election Commission to returning officers and counting observers shortly after he reached the venue with his security team.
Officials said the Commission reiterated that only authorised individuals, including candidates and designated agents, are allowed inside counting premises. As Banerjee does not fall under that category, his entry was barred on the spot.
At the Shakhawat Memorial Government Girls School in south Kolkata, where counting for the Bhabanipur constituency is underway, both Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari entered the premises carrying mobile phones.
After the matter came to light, returning officers and counting observers immediately reached out to the CEO’s office, which escalated it to the Commission’s headquarters in New Delhi. The ECI then instructed officials to either have the phones kept outside or seize them, in line with counting centre protocols.
As per the latest trends released by the Election Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party has secured 11 seats and is leading in 186 constituencies. The Trinamool Congress has won two seats and is ahead in 88, while Congress and the Left Front-All India Secular Front alliance are leading in two seats each.
Several senior ministers in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, including Chandrima Bhattacharya, Dr Sashi Panja, Sujit Bose and Bratya Basu, are trailing in their respective constituencies.
In high-profile contests, Mamata Banerjee is currently leading in Bhabanipur, while Suvendu Adhikari is ahead in Nandigram.