Page 6 - West Bengal

Mamata blames EC for 'failing to protect' judicial officers engaged in SIR

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

SC slams Bengal govt over gherao of judicial officials, calls it calculated

The Supreme Court on Thursday took serious note of seven judicial officials engaged in SIR exercise being taken "hostage" in West Bengal's Malda district, terming it deplorable and seeking responses from the state home secretary, DGP and other officials for their "inaction". A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi permitted the Election Commission to seek either CBI or NIA probe into the unfortunate incident. It said the incident appears to be a "calculated" and "motivated move to demoralise judicial officers" and to stop the ongoing electoral process. Observing that the law and order machinery in the state has "broken down", the CJI came down hard on state officials for their delayed action in the issue. Seven judicial officials, including three women, were taken hostage by the anti-social elements at Malda district, the CJI said, adding that he himself had to monitor the situation till late night on Wednesday. The top court referred

EC actions risk disenfranchisement of voters in Bengal: Mamata to CEC

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.

Watch: Tennis legend Leander Paes joins BJP ahead of West Bengal elections

Indian tennis legend Leander Paes joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, days ahead of the West Bengal elections. He joined the party in the presence of senior party leaders, including Un

BJP trying to add illegal voters in Bengal electoral rolls, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the BJP was trying to include illegal voters from Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the electoral rolls of the state to turn the poll outcome in favour of the saffron party. Addressing an election rally in Paschim Medunipur's Chandrakona, Banerjee also reiterated her plea before the gathering to ignore who the TMC candidates in the state's assembly segments were and consider her as the candidate in all 294 seats. "I was informed by Abhishek (Banerjee) yesterday that he had to rush to the EC office in Kolkata from the middle of his campaign schedule upon receiving information that about 30,000 forms were submitted in a single day to include fresh voters," the TMC supremo said. "The BJP is trying to include illegal voters from Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the electoral rolls of Bengal. They are planning to transport outstation voters by means of railways, as they did in Bihar," she ...

Bengali migrants rush home over voter list fears ahead of West Bengal polls

Earlier on March 24, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee resumed her criticism over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process

Development vs discord: Battle for key north Bengal seats heats up

Siliguri and Dabgram-Fulbari, two constituencies in north Bengal, have turned into battlegrounds ahead of the assembly elections, where narratives of development, identity, and law and order are colliding head-on. As the assembly polls dates, April 23 and 29, are approaching, the political mercury in this strategic gateway to the Northeast is rising fast, with every party digging in for a fierce fight. While the TMC is trying to snatch back ground lost to the BJP, a task made tougher by the saffron surge in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP widened its lead significantly over the Mamata Banerjee-led party. The BJP has fielded its winning faces, Sankar Ghosh in Siliguri and Sikha Chatterjee in Dabgram-Fulbari, banking on continuity and a campaign that targets alleged governance lapses. The TMC, on the other hand, has reshuffled its deck, moving Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb from Dabgram-Fulbari to Siliguri in an effort to reclaim the urban seat. However, it is emotion and out

BJP releases list of 13 more candidates for West Bengal Assembly polls

The BJP on Tuesday announced the names of 13 more candidates for the West Bengal assembly polls, including Soma Thakur from Bagda seat. According to the list, Shyamal Hati will contest from Howrah Dakshin, Girija Shankar Roy from Natabari and Ashutosh Barma from Sitai. Uttam Kumar Banik will enter the fray from Magrahat Purba, Debangshu Panda from Falta, Debashish Dhar from Sonarpur Uttar and Ranjan Kumar Paul from Panchla. Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.

Bengal has not yet issued notification for conducting Census: RGI Narayan

West Bengal has not yet issued the notification for conducting the Census, and the issue has been raised with the state, Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said on Monday. Asked about West Bengal, he said we have until September 30 to complete the first-phase process. "West Bengal has not issued the notification for conducting the Census. We have raised this issue with them. It is expected that they will issue the notification soon, as it is a legally mandated exercise. We have time till September 30 for the first phase of the exercise," he said. The Census 2027 is being conducted in two phases -- the first stage is known as houselisting and housing census, and the second stage is the population census. The housing listing operations will take place during a 30-day window specified by each state and Union Territory through notifications between April 1 and September 30 this year. There will also be an option for self-enumeration to be ...

Mamata vs Suvendu: Bhabanipur contest turns into high-stakes showdown

In the calculus of West Bengal's electoral politics, Bhabanipur has emerged as the X factor. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is pitted in a pitched battle with the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in her long-held bastion, making it the state's most closely watched Assembly seat. While the Trinamool Congress is looking to retain its stronghold in south Kolkata with organisational strength and emotion, the BJP wants to breach the keep by banking on social arithmetic and symbolism. The fight is reminiscent of the electoral clash between Banerjee and Adhikari in the 2021 Assembly polls, when the chief minister had taken on her protege-turned-rival, who had then just joined the BJP, in the latter's home turf, Nandigram. Banerjee had lost the fight, although the BJP had been drubbed by the TMC five years ago. She later won the Bhabanipur Assembly bypolls. The turf has changed, and it remains to be seen if the result does too. Mamata Banerjee's party is banking on the "'ghorer meye' (girl next doo

Bengal govt to clear DA arrears for 2016-19 in single instalment by Mar 31

The West Bengal government will pay the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears to serving employees, pensioners and family pensioners in a single instalment instead of the two tranches announced earlier, an official said on Saturday. The decision follows a Supreme Court order in February directing the state government to clear the DA arrears, after which the administration had announced that payments would begin in March. In a partial modification of its March 13 order, the state government has now decided to release the entire arrears for the period from January 2016 to December 2019 by March 31, the official said.

Bengal polls key to national security: Shah releases 'chargesheet' on TMC

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday sharpened the BJP's campaign pitch for the West Bengal Assembly polls by publishing a 'charge sheet' against the TMC government and framing the election as a battle not merely for the state, but for the country's security. Launching a broadside at the ruling TMC in Kolkata, Shah alleged that during its 15-year rule, the state had become the country's "principal corridor for infiltration, appeasement politics and border insecurity". "The Bengal election is important not only for the state but for the entire country. The security of the country is, in a way, linked to the Bengal election," Shah said. Arguing that infiltration routes through Assam had been "shut" after the BJP came to power there, Shah claimed West Bengal was now "the only remaining route" for infiltration. "West Bengal is the only state from where infiltrators are entering the country and creating disturbances," he said. The BJP leader repeatedly linked the issue to what he

BJP will lose power by attempting to destroy Bengal: Mamata Banerjee

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday asserted that the BJP will lose power in the country in its attempt to destroy West Bengal. Addressing a poll rally in Raniganj, she announced that after winning the West Bengal assembly elections for the fourth consecutive time, she would bring all political parties along to "capture" Delhi. "If the BJP comes to power in the state, they will use bulldozers and throw everyone out," Banerjee claimed. "By attempting to destroy Bengal, the BJP will lose power across the country," the chief minister asserted at the rally in the mining town of Paschim Bardhaman district. Accusing the Election Commission of working at the behest of the saffron party to delete voters' names in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Banerjee said, "There must be a Lakshman Rekha, but the BJP is crossing all limits." "SIR will be your death knell," she warned the BJP. Referring to clashes during the Ram Navami procession in Murshidaba

RG Kar victim's mother to contest Bengal Assembly polls on BJP ticket

Debnath described her candidature from the Panihati as a victory for the people, criticising the state government for failing to protect basic rights

40% of 3.2 million adjudicated names deleted from Bengal rolls: EC official

A top EC official in Kolkata said on Wednesday that nearly 40 per cent of the 32 lakh names adjudicated so far have been deleted from the electoral rolls of West Bengal. Converting into real figures, the number of removed electors under adjudication currently stands at 13 lakh. With some 63 lakh names struck off the rolls earlier during the SIR exercise in the state, the total number of deleted voters rose to nearly 76 lakh, the official confirmed. The poll panel had released the first supplementary list of 'Under Adjudication' voters on Monday, but remained tight-lipped on the number of deletions or the precise figure of cases disposed of in that list, drawing criticism from various quarters. A total of 58 lakh names were deleted following the enumeration phase of the SIR exercise, slashing the state's eligible electors from the initial 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore on grounds of death, migration, duplication and untraceability. The post-SIR rolls published on February 28 further brou

Voting rights being snatched today, citizenship next: Mamata slams BJP, EC

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP, the Centre and the Election Commission, accusing them of misusing Constitutional institutions to undermine democracy. Addressing an election rally in North Bengal's Maynaguri, she alleged the BJP-led Centre and the Election Commission were "snatching voting rights" and warned the next step could be attempts to snatch away citizenship by imposing NRC. Banerjee also alleged that certain communities were being excluded from the poll processes through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. "Rajbanshis names have been removed through SIR. Women's names are also being removed. If deaths occur because of SIR, who will take responsibility?" she posed. The Trinamool Congress supremo said, "The EC, BJP and the Centre are not following the Constitution and are trying to snatch away voting rights. Today, they are snatching away voting rights; tomorrow, they will snatch away citizenship

Fall, regroup, return: Bengal poll turns into season of political comebacks

West Bengal's 2026 assembly election is shaping up not only as a high-stakes battle between the ruling TMC and the BJP but also as a dramatic stage for political comebacks, with several leaders seeking redemption after years of defeats, scandals, exile or organisational marginalisation. In a state that still celebrates Sourav Ganguly's return to the Indian cricket team in 2006 after being dropped, as a symbol of resilience, the political arena too seems to be witnessing a season of second innings of leaders across parties. From sidelined party veterans and leaders scarred by corruption probes to those returning to electoral politics after decades, the poll battlefield is dotted with figures seeking relevance once again. For the BJP, the return of Dilip Ghosh to the electoral fray from Kharagpur Sadar, where his electoral career began in 2016, symbolises the most visible attempt at political resurgence. A former RSS pracharak known for his blunt rhetoric and grassroots style, Ghosh

Mamata Banerjee quits 23 posts across bodies ahead of Bengal polls

Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday resigned from 23 offices and positions she held across departments and affiliated bodies, according to an official communication. In a letter from the state's home department, its counterparts in the state government were directed to initiate necessary steps for the acceptance of her resignation from the posts, as well as from any other positions that may not have been explicitly listed in her communique. Banerjee is fighting the Assembly polls from the Bhabanipur seat in south Kolkata against the state's Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.. "I am directed to forward a copy of the communication which would reveal that Mamata Banerjee has, with immediate effect, resigned from the offices/posts as mentioned in the enclosed list," the letter stated. The incumbent CM resigned as head of state health mission, and as chairperson of the state wildlife board, ecotourism advisory board, committee for the .

LPG supply crisis: No respite for transporters, restaurants in West Bengal

Supply contraints of LPG cylinders showed no signs of abating in parts of West Bengal on Monday, with gas distributors, transporters and restaurants reporting disruption in operations amid the crunch. Bijan Biswas, vice-president of the Indane LPG Distributors' Association in Bengal, said the overall situation has not improved significantly. He, however, said panic booking of cylinders is not the primary issue now, with the servers largely functioning normally. "The queues of people are mainly for completing eKYC formalities rather than booking cylinders. Once a bill is generated, delivery is taking about five to seven days," Biswas said. He also claimed that the government has reduced the allocation of cylinders by 30 per cent from March, pushing the delivery cycle between two cylinders to a minimum of 25 days. Biswas said there have been discussions on supplying smaller LPG cylinders of 7 kg or 10 kg to help manage the crisis and ease supply pressure. "These low-volume cylinder

Kolkata Metro delay: SC pulls up Bengal govt for creating 'roadblocks'

The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the West Bengal government for "creating roadblocks" in the ongoing construction of a corridor of a Kolkata Metro rail project and asked it not to politicise a developmental issue which is beneficial for the common man. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, which dismissed a plea of the state government, asked the Calcutta High Court to monitor the construction of the project. "We are only pointing out that the high court has been very magnanimous to you (state government). This was a fit case where your chief secretary, DGP and other authorities should have been subjected to some action. "This shows complete dereliction of your constitutional duty. You are running away from your responsibilities. This is just an attempt to politicise an issue where there is no such issue. We would not appreciate the state government politicising a developmental issue, which is beneficial for the common man," the