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Election Commission Of India
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that "logical discrepancy" under the SIR exercise is not an officially recognised term under the Election Commission framework and was selectively applied in West Bengal, unlike Bihar, to benefit the BJP. Addressing a public rally at Pingla in Paschim Medinipur district, she said she has not seen a "dirty party" like the BJP. The West Bengal chief minister, urging people to vote against the BJP, said, "The BJP has snatched everything from you... Voting against it would be your only way to take revenge." The BJP is holding rallies at places that have direct railway connectivity with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar so that they can bring in people from those states to fill up the venues, she alleged. Elections to the 294-member assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, and the votes will be counted on May 4.
The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, Election Commission and others on a plea seeking to implement finger and iris biometric identification system at polling stations to prevent duplicate voting. While agreeing to hear the plea, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made clear that the prayer sought in the petition can't be considered for the current state Assembly elections in some states. "However, whether such a recourse deserves to be followed before the next parliamentary election and/or state assembly elections needs to be examined. Issue notice," the bench said. The top court issued notice to the Centre, the poll panel and several other states seeking their responses on the plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. Upadhyay, who appeared in person, told the bench that the prayer sought in the plea would prevent bribery and proxy voting. The bench observed that it would require major changes in the rules and would incur
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea seeking direction to the Election Commission to implement finger and iris biometric identification system at polling stations to prevent duplicate voting. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made clear that the prayer sought in the plea can't be considered for the current state Assembly elections in some states. "However, whether such a recourse deserves to be followed before the next parliamentary election and/or state assembly elections needs to be examined. Issue notice," the bench said. The top court sought responses from the Centre, the poll panel and several other states on the plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. "The injury to citizens is extremely large as bribery, undue influence, personation, duplicate voting and ghost voting still affects the purity and integrity of the electoral process," the plea submitted.
More than 3.6 crore electors across 16 districts will be eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections on April 23, according to data released by the Election Commission on Saturday. The electoral rolls for the first phase comprise 1.84 crore males, 1.75 crore females and 465 persons of the third gender, the EC data showed. Among the districts, Murshidabad accounts for the highest number of voters at 50.26 lakh, followed by Purba Medinipur at 41.60 lakh and Paschim Medinipur at 37.70 lakh. At the other end, Kalimpong has the lowest number of voters at 2.01 lakh. Polling will be held for 152 seats in the first phase, while 142 seats in the second phase will vote on April 29. The counting of votes will be held on May 4. In northern Bengal, Cooch Behar has 22.63 lakh electors, while Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar have 17.19 lakh and 11.64 lakh voters, respectively. Darjeeling district accounts for 11.10 lakh voters, according to EC data. Utt
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on April 13 a fresh plea along with pending ones challenging the freezing of electoral rolls by the Election Commission ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal. The poll panel has frozen and finalised the electoral rolls on April 9 for the assembly seats which are going to polls in the first stage. Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29 and votes will be counted for all polls on May 4. The freezing of electoral rolls means that no new person, who has been deleted, can be added to the voters list for this assembly polls. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi was urged by a lawyer to take up the plea against freezing on an urgent basis. The lawyer said many appeals against deletions from the electoral rolls are still pending and the poll panel has frozen the rolls on April 9. "We will consider the petition on April 13," the CJI ...
The EC on Wednesday noted that political advertisements were appearing on channels and online platforms on the eve of the April 9 Kerala Assembly polls and sought that they be removed immediately. The instruction was circulated by the EC's Kerala office in an official WhatsApp group comprising media groups and journalists. "Advertisements are appearing on channels and online platforms. This is not permitted during the silence period. It is requested that these be withdrawn immediately," the message said. According to the EC, campaigning through public meetings, rallies, media interactions and election-related interviews was strictly prohibited during the silence period to ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders. It has also directed that no person shall display to the public any 'election matter' by means of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus, including radio, during the 48 hours ending with the conclusion of the poll. The 'election matter' will include
Nearly 91 lakh voters have been deleted from the electoral rolls in West Bengal following the Special Intensive Revision exercise in the state, according to data released by the Election Commission. The poll panel is yet to announce the finally altered voter base for the state after the roll revision process. According to official data released on February 28, 63.66 lakh names, around 8.3 per cent of the electorate, were deleted since the SIR process began in November last year, reducing the voter base from about 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore. More than 60.06 lakh electors, who were placed in the "under adjudication" category, were part of the 7.04 crore voter base. Over 27.16 lakh of 60.06 lakh 'under adjudication' voters have been deleted during a scrutiny by judicial officers, the EC data said. More than 32.68 lakh of those in the 'under adjudication' category have been retained and included in the final rolls. The final deletions, since the beginning of the SIR process,
Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa on Monday said the final electoral roll under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise will be published on April 10, with the Election Commission committed to ensuring an accurate and error-free list. Rinwa made the remarks during a surprise visit to Mathura, where he chaired a meeting with senior district officials and electoral registration officers to review the progress of the SIR campaign. The meeting was attended by District Magistrate and District Election Officer Chandra Prakash Singh, Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) and Deputy District Election Officer Pankaj Kumar Verma, along with sub-divisional magistrates, additional city magistrates, assistant district election officers and tehsildars. Referring to the revision of the electoral rolls for assembly constituencies with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date, Rinwa said the final voter list will be published on April 10. He directed all electo
The Election Commission has directed all political parties and candidates contesting in the Kerala Assembly polls on April 9, not to publish any advertisements in print media, on polling day and its eve, without getting the contents pre-certified by the MCMC committee. The directive, issued by Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar late Friday night, stated that offending, misleading, or inflammatory advertisements published in print media during the final stages of an election can vitiate the entire electoral process. "At such a critical juncture, affected parties and candidates often lack the opportunity to provide necessary rebuttals," it said. Therefore, exercising the powers under Article 324 of the Constitution, the EC directed that no political party, candidate, organisation, or person shall publish any advertisement in print media on April 8 and 9 unless the contents are got pre-certified from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the state or ..
Amid law and order concerns in poll-going West Bengal, the Election Commission on Friday decided to continue deployment of 500 companies of central forces in the state even after counting of votes on May 4. The state goes to assembly polls in two phases on May 23 and 29. "During the last assembly elections, there was post-poll violence. The decision is also based on past incidents," an official explained. One company comprises 90 to 125 personnel. Additionally, 200 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be retained in the state for security arrangements of electronic voting machines (EVMs), strong room and counting centres. These companies will remain deployed till the completion of counting in the state, the EC said. Separately, the poll authority had on Thursday handed over the probe into the gherao of judicial officers adjudicating cases of Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal's Malda to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). A spokesperson of the poll ..
The EC published the eighth supplementary list and said it has disposed of around 52 lakh cases under adjudication in West Bengal, expressing hope that the process would be completed within the next few days in line with directions of the Calcutta High Court. Verification and disposal of about 52 lakh cases, which were under adjudication, have been completed till Thursday evening. Work for the remaining nearly 8 lakh applicants is in progress and is expected to be completed within the next four days, an EC official said. Officials expressed confidence that, if the current pace is maintained, the entire adjudication process will be completed by April 7. Over 60 lakh names were under scrutiny after the final draft electoral rolls were published. The adjudication is being carried out by judicial officers in compliance with the Supreme Court directions. The exercise assumes significance as the first phase of elections in the state is scheduled for April 23, while the last date for fil
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday blamed the Election Commission for "failing to protect" judicial officers engaged in the SIR exercise in West Bengal's Malda district. Seven judicial officers engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) were rescued by security forces after protesters gheraoed them for several hours on Wednesday over the deletion of names from the electoral rolls. "I condemn the Election Commission for failing to protect the judicial officers," Banerjee said, addressing an election rally here in Murshidabad district. Claiming that the EC posted its own officers in civil and police administration after announcement of assembly polls in the state, Banerjee accused the poll body of having "totally failed to control law and order". Several officers, including the state's chief secretary, home secretary and director general of police (DGP), were replaced in West Bengal soon after the assembly polls were announced by the Election Commission. "All my powers
Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the poll panel's actions under the SIR exercise risk disenfranchisement of genuine voters in Bengal. In her three-page letter, she also alleged that the actions of the Election Commission were undermining the democratic and fundamental rights of the people. "The decisions being taken by the Election Commission of India appear to be undermining the democratic and fundamental rights of the people," Banerjee said. She said, "This is not the standard expected of a constitutional authority." Banerjee urged the commission to ensure "free and fair elections" and uphold constitutional principles. The elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases - on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
Seeking to strengthen electoral preparedness, the Election Commission on Tuesday convened an inter-state border meeting with top administration and police officials of five poll-going and their neighbouring states. The poll authority also met with Multi-Departmental Committee on Election Intelligence (MDCEI), to enhance coordination, curb illegal activities, and ensure smooth, secure, violence-free and inducement-free elections across poll-bound states. The Election Commission had recently reactivated its economic intelligence panel after a gap of six years to curb the use of money, liquor and drugs to influence voters ahead of the Bihar polls. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will go for assembly polls next month. West Bengal and Assam also share international borders with Bangladesh.
The first supplementary voter list in West Bengal is likely to be published on March 23, an Election Commission official said on Friday. The scheduled release on March 19 was deferred at the last moment as the process was not yet completed. The official said preparations are underway to display the updated voter list across nearly 80,000 polling booths in the state once it is finalised by next Monday. The publication of the supplementary list assumes significance as it is likely to include the names of voters whose applications were marked as "under adjudication" after the final electoral roll was published on February 28. According to the poll official, over 60 lakh names were initially marked as "under adjudication", of which more than 27 lakh cases have been disposed of till Friday afternoon. The delay in publication triggered political reactions, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging that eligible voters were being harassed due to the delay. The EC official attached to
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the efforts of the Election Commission to "gerrymander" will not change the results in West Bengal Assembly elections, expressing confidence that Trinamool Congress will emerge victorious. "No amount of effort by the Election Commission to gerrymander will change the results. Come counting day Mamata Didi will win a thumping majority," Abdullah posted on his personal X handle. Commenting on the large-scale transfers ordered by the Election Commission in the poll-bound state, Abdullah said these things happen only in the states where the BJP is not in power. "These sweeping transfers only happen in non-BJP ruled states & especially in West Bengal but that's no surprise. However, West Bengal will once again prove what I have always believed to be true - officers don't win elections for political parties, the leaders of political parties do," he added. After announcing the schedule for the Assembly polls, the EC has ...
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed alarm over the "arbitrary removal of more than 50 senior officials" in the poll-bound state, terming it a "political interference of the highest order". Continuing with her tirade against the Election Commission, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo claimed that such action amounted to "systematic politicisation of institutions" and a "direct assault on the Constitution". After announcing the schedule for the assembly polls, the Election Commission has ordered several reshuffles of senior officers, including the transfer of Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, and the removal of DGP Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar. On Wednesday, the poll body ordered a fresh reshuffle of senior officers, posting two secretaries to other poll-bound states as observers, and deploying 13 IAS and five IPS officers in key poll management roles. Slamming the poll body, ...
The Election Commission (EC) has sought a detailed report from the Kolkata Police on the alleged attack on senior Trinamool Congress leader and state minister Shashi Panja's residence here ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally last week, a senior official said. The initial report submitted by the city police was found to be incomplete, lacking crucial details about the incident. "The earlier report did not contain a full account of the sequence of events and key inputs. A comprehensive report has now been sought," an EC official said on Wednesday. The commission has asked for clarity on the timeline of the incident, the role of the police, and the intelligence inputs available prior to the incident in north Kolkata's Girish Park area, he said. Questions were also being raised over the utilisation of central forces deployed in the state. "It is being examined why, despite the presence of central forces, they were not actively engaged, and why the local police handled the ..