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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and expressed solidarity after the party’s defeat in the West Bengal elections.

Akhilesh Yadav meets Mamata Banerjee after TMC rout, alleges Bengal polls held on 'UP model'

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and expressed solidarity after the party&rsquo;s defeat in the West Bengal elections.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday met TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence and expressed solidarity with the party leadership following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly polls, while alleging that the elections in the state were conducted on the "Uttar Pradesh model" through intimidation and manipulation.
Yadav was received by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, where the SP chief is understood to have discussed the post-poll political situation in West Bengal and reiterated support for opposition unity against the BJP.
The meeting assumed political significance amid efforts by opposition parties to recalibrate strategies after the recent assembly elections in several states, and as Banerjee has vowed to strengthen the INDIA bloc after the TMC's electoral debacle.
"You have not lost. The fight to save democracy will continue, and we stand beside you," Yadav was heard telling Banerjee during the meeting, sources present there said.
He also congratulated Abhishek Banerjee for "putting up a strong fight" in the elections.
Addressing reporters later, Yadav alleged that the Bengal polls witnessed "multi-layered mafia tactics" involving the BJP, the Election Commission and "underground elements."
"What happened in Uttar Pradesh was repeated in Bengal. Opposition polling agents were threatened, and votes were conducted under fear. Central forces were used to ensure the defeat of the opposition," he alleged.
"The election was looted. BJP, the Election Commission and underground elements together conducted this election," the SP chief claimed, while displaying photographs and data before mediapersons to support his allegations.
He further alleged that officials were "lured with promises of higher posts" to influence the electoral process and claimed that BJP candidates secured unusually high victory margins in several constituencies because opposition polling agents were intimidated.
Yadav also expressed concern over the safety of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, alleging that the BJP was "anti-women", and asserted that democratic forces across the country must unite.
The SP leader also questioned the post-poll violence in the state and, when asked about the killing of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Rath, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah should be answerable for the incident.
"Answers should be sought from him for the lapses," Yadav said.
Rath, considered a close associate and executive assistant to Adhikari, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday, triggering sharp political reactions amid mounting post-poll tension in the state.
The BJP won 207 seats to secure more than a two-thirds majority in the 294-member West Bengal assembly, ending the TMC's uninterrupted 15-year rule in the state.
The Mamata Banerjee-led party was reduced to 80 seats.
Banerjee, however, has maintained that she and her party were defeated through "manipulation" and has so far remained unwilling to tender her resignation as chief minister ahead of the formation of the new government.

Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of influencing exit polls to demoralise TMC workers, asserts her party will cross 226 seats, and raises concerns over central forces and EVM security ahead of counting.

Will win 226 seats; exit polls predictions made at BJP's behest to demoralise TMC workers: Mamata

Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of influencing exit polls to demoralise TMC workers, asserts her party will cross 226 seats, and raises concerns over central forces and EVM security ahead of counting.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday dismissed exit poll projections, saying they were aired at the &ldquo;instruction of the BJP&rdquo; to demoralise her party and asserted that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would win more than 226 seats in the assembly polls.
She also targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging central forces acted as &ldquo;agents of the BJP&rdquo;, and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks made on Wednesday that "the poll results will strengthen the resolve of a developed India", wondering how he can make such a comment when voting was on.
In a video message shared on social media ahead of counting on May 4, Banerjee claimed television channels ran projections circulated from the BJP office, alleging a coordinated attempt to shape public perception.
&ldquo;I want to reassure you that what is being shown on TV, that circular was issued from the BJP office at 1.08 pm yesterday. Money was paid to show those figures. The media was forced to air it,&rdquo; she said.
Her remarks came a day after most exit polls predicted a majority for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 294-member Assembly, where the halfway mark is 148, with several projections giving it over 150 seats, a narrative the TMC chief sought to counter forcefully.
Exuding confidence about her party&rsquo;s prospects, Banerjee said the TMC would comfortably cross the two-thirds mark.
&ldquo;We will cross 226. We may even get 230. I have full faith in the way people have voted,&rdquo; she said.
Thanking voters for their participation, she struck an emotional note, saying, &ldquo;Even in such scorching heat, and despite so much oppression, the way you stood in queues to vote -- we are grateful. I am also grateful to my workers. They fought with everything they had. They endured a lot of oppression. Those who tried to subdue Bengal have themselves been subdued in the ballot box.&rdquo;
Alleging widespread intimidation during polling, Banerjee said Trinamool workers faced &ldquo;joint oppression&rdquo; by central forces and sections of the police.
&ldquo;The BJP intimidates everyone through ED, CBI. The conduct of the central forces yesterday, and some of the newly appointed police personnel who were not under my control - they beat women, they beat children,&rdquo; she claimed.
The chief minister also trained her guns on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that central forces acted as &ldquo;agents of the BJP&rdquo; during the entire polling process.
&ldquo;At direct instructions of Amit Shah, central forces have been working in West Bengal as agents of the BJP in the entire polling process,&rdquo; she claimed.
He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on the last day of polling from Uttar Pradesh, where he had said voters are casting their vote in West Bengal this time in a "fearless atmosphere", which was unimaginable in the past six or seven decades." He also asserted that the assembly poll results on May 4 will further strengthen the resolve of a developed India.
&ldquo;How can he say Bengal is his during elections? Does he know Bengal? Does he know its soil? He knows no one here,&rdquo; she said.
Referring to the reported death of a voter in Udaynarayanpur in a polling booth, she said, &ldquo;I have no words to console the bereaved family of the gentleman who died while going to vote. We will stand by that family.&rdquo;
The CM alleged that her party workers were &ldquo;one-sidedly attacked&rdquo; but did not retreat, and that many were deliberately arrested to prevent them from acting as polling agents.
She cited incidents from areas such as Bhatpara, Noapara, Jagaddal and her own constituency, Bhabanipur.
&ldquo;Our workers were beaten so that they could not function as agents. Even in Bhabanipur, raids were conducted throughout the night. I have not slept for two days,&rdquo; she said.
Calling the exit poll predictions a &ldquo;BJP conspiracy&rdquo;, Banerjee further alleged that they were aired to influence economic sentiment and demoralise her cadre.
&ldquo;I have information that this was done to comfort the share market. If the truth comes out, the market will crash. So the BJP used the media for this last game, to demoralise our workers,&rdquo; she said, recalling discrepancies between exit poll projections and actual results in 2016 and 2021.
In a strong organisational directive, Banerjee asked party leaders, candidates and workers to remain on high alert during counting and guard strong rooms housing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
&ldquo;You must guard the counting centres. If needed, I will also go and guard my area. Candidates must guard themselves. Stay awake. If I can do it, so can you. There is a plan to change the machines while transporting EVMs. Do not take this lightly,&rdquo; she said.
&ldquo;Until I formally say so in a press conference, no one should leave the counting table,&rdquo; Banerjee added.
The TMC supremo cautioned workers against leaving counting tables unattended even briefly.
&ldquo;During counting, sit firmly at the centres. Even if someone needs to go to the toilet or eat, it should not be for more than two minutes. Leave someone trustworthy in your place, someone who cannot be bought with money,&rdquo; she said.
Despite the sharp allegations, Banerjee appealed for restraint.
&ldquo;Even if they attack you, do not retaliate immediately. There has been a lot of violence. Our workers were beaten and bloodied in Bhangar. They will be answered &mdash; but no one should take the law into their own hands. We will take action,&rdquo; the CM said.
Banerjee said she was &ldquo;100 per cent confident&rdquo; of a win and urged all TMC candidates to remain vigilant till the final results are declared.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya dismissed her allegations as a sign of nervousness.
&ldquo;She is very well aware that she is losing the polls and that is why she is making such a statement to keep her party workers charged up,&rdquo; he said, terming her remarks a &ldquo;panic reaction&rdquo; to an &ldquo;imminent defeat&rdquo;.
The sharp exchange underscores the high-stakes nature of the Bengal verdict, with both narrative and numbers under intense contest ahead of counting day.

Mamata Banerjee asserted that Trinamool Congress will return to power in West Bengal for a fourth term, claiming people do not want the Bharatiya Janata Party. 

No one wants BJP to form govt, TMC will return to power again: Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee asserted that Trinamool Congress will return to power in West Bengal for a fourth term, claiming people do not want the Bharatiya Janata Party.&nbsp;

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that the TMC will return to power in the state for the fourth consecutive term, claiming that &ldquo;no one wants the BJP to form government&rdquo;.
Addressing a poll rally at Haldia in Purba Medinipur district, Banerjee also urged opposition parties to come together to oust the BJP-led NDA government from the Centre.
"The BJP will not win the elections in West Bengal this time. The Trinamool Congress will again form the government. We will also throw out the BJP from Delhi in 2026 itself," Banerjee asserted.
The TMC chief said she has been extensively touring West Bengal for the last one month, and during this period, "I have understood what people want; it is clear that no one wants the BJP."
Slamming the BJP for its &lsquo;chargesheet&rsquo; against the TMC dispensation over alleged financial irregularities and other issues, the CM said she was also issuing a chargesheet against the saffron party for &ldquo;taking cut-money (commission)&rdquo; in the Haldia dock complex and adjoining industrial area.
"You gave a chargesheet against the TMC; I am also issuing one against the BJP,&rdquo; Banerjee said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on March 28 unveiled a chargesheet against the TMC dispensation, accusing it of corruption, deterioration in law and order and facilitation of infiltration.
The chief minister, without naming anyone, said, "There is one traitor who takes cut money (commission) from truck drivers, workers' wages and companies in the Haldia port and industrial area."
She claimed that the "traitor" takes 50 per cent of the money and sends the rest &ldquo;to one of his leaders&rdquo;.
Banerjee also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for stating in a recent rally that he was the BJP candidate in all 294 seats going to polls in West Bengal.
"You have to quit the post of the prime minister first for that to happen," she said.
The assembly elections will be held in two phases - on April 23 and April 29.
Votes will be counted on May 4.
Alleging malpractice during vote counting in the 2021 election in Nandigram, where BJP's Suvendu Adhikari defeated her, Banerjee asked TMC workers to come up with the name and address of anyone who may indulge in irregularities.
"We will have to send them sweets after the counting of votes, wherever in the country they are," she said.
Banerjee said several industries are coming up in the state and healthcare facilities are being upgraded.
Addressing another rally at Jagaddal in North 24 Parganas district, the CM asserted that she would go wherever any wrongdoing takes place during the elections.
"If I am stopped, I will hold a 'satyagraha' sitting in my house," she said.
Banerjee also said that she has never seen an election for which so many central forces, observers and other officers have been deployed.
A record 2,450 companies of central paramilitary forces that comprise nearly 2.5 lakh personnel have been deployed by the Election Commission for the West Bengal assembly polls.
At Jorasanko in north Kolkata, where Banerjee addressed another public meeting, she criticised the Election Commission for imposing restrictions on riding motorcycles before polling days.
"How will people commute, go home from work if they are not allowed to take their motorbikes out?" she said.
The EC has imposed restrictions on riding motorcycles and motorbike rallies on polling days and 48 hours prior to it "for conduct of free, fair, peaceful and violence-free elections".
The TMC supremo also claimed that the BJP makes false promises to win over voters before elections, and accused the Narendra Modi government of selling stakes in public sector undertakings.
"They (the BJP) accuse TMC of being corrupt; it is you and your government in every state and everyone in your party who are corrupt," Banerjee alleged.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urges Supreme Court to act on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, alleging state is targeted and voters face mass disenfranchisement.

SIR row: Mamata Banerjee urges SC to save democracy; alleges WB targeted, its people bulldozed

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urges Supreme Court to act on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, alleging state is targeted and voters face mass disenfranchisement.

In a rare move by a serving chief minister, Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday argued her petition in the Supreme Court against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls and alleged unfair targeting of West Bengal by the poll panel and bulldozing of its citizens.
Urging the top court to "save democracy" and intervene to ensure fair special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission, she highlighted that people alive have been declared dead by the poll panel.
She once referred to the poll panel as the "WhatsApp commission", in an apparent reference to directions allegedly being passed by the EC to electoral officials on WhatsApp.
Banerjee, who was represented by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Shyam Divan, sought the nod of a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant to personally advance her submissions.
She said her state was not getting justice anywhere and despite having written six letters to the poll panel on SIR, she has not received any reply.
"Their SIR process is only for deletion, not for inclusion," she told the bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi.
Asking why the same yardstick was not applied in Assam, Banerjee said, "West Bengal is being targeted." "They are targeting West Bengal to bulldoze its people," said the chief minister, who was permitted by the bench to supplement submissions of her lawyer.
At the outset, Divan started his submissions and later, Mamata was seen standing beside him. She then requested the bench to permit her to address the court.
"If you can allow me five minutes only," she asked.
The CJI responded by saying the court would give her not five but 15 minutes to advance her submissions.
She flagged difficulties being faced by the citizens due to the SIR exercise and said people were happy that the apex court gave a direction to include Aadhaar as one of the documents in the process.
Banerjee alleged that despite the apex court's direction, the poll panel was not allowing Aadhaar and was seeking other documents from the voters for electoral roll revision.
"In other states, documents like domicile certificate, family register card etc. are allowed... they are only targeting Bengal on the eve of elections. What was the hurry," she asked.
She said the process, which usually takes two years, was being undertaken in a short span of three months even during festival and harvesting season in the state.
Banerjee also claimed that many people who are alive have been declared dead by the EC during the ongoing process.
She then flagged the issue of deaths of officials who are involved in the SIR exercise.
Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the EC, countered the charges and alleged that the West Bengal government has provided the services of only 80 grade-two officers like SDMs for overseeing the SIR process.
He said only low-ranked government employees like Anganwadi workers have been provided by the West Bengal government for the process.
Banerjee countered the EC's claim and said the state has provided whatever was sought by the poll panel.
At the outset of her submissions, Banerjee quoted Rabindranath Tagore and said, "The problem is our lawyers always fought our case from the beginning but when everything is finished, we are not getting justice. When justice is behind doors. We are not getting justice anywhere."
"I am a bonded labourer sir... I am from a common family and I am not fighting for my party," she said.
When the counsel appearing for the EC interrupted, Banerjee, with folded hands, said, "Please allow me to speak sir!"
She flagged that married women were being put to notice for shifting to their in-laws&rsquo; house or using their husband's surname.
Banerjee claimed the poll panel has not complied with the top court's directions on the logical discrepancy list.
When the EC's counsel objected to her submissions, CJI Kant interrupted saying, "Madam has come all the way to speak."
During the hearing, the bench observed that "genuine persons must remain on the electoral roll".
The CJI said every problem has a solution and it must be ensured that no innocent person is left out.
Concluding her submissions, Banerjee conveyed her regards to the bench for giving her the opportunity to argue and urged it to "save democracy".
The bench issued notices and sought replies by February 9 from the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal on her petition.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appears before the Supreme Court for a crucial hearing on petitions challenging the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Mamata Banerjee Persists in Electoral Roll Case at Supreme Court

Mamata Banerjee at Supreme Court for Electoral Roll Revision Case

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appears before the Supreme Court for a crucial hearing on petitions challenging the Election Commission&rsquo;s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reached the Supreme Court ahead of a crucial hearing on the petitions challenging the Election Commission&rsquo;s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.&nbsp;
The chief minister has also moved an interlocutory application seeking permission to appear and argue in person. Banerjee is personally present in court room one along with her lawyers.&nbsp;
A gate pass was issued in the chief minister's name on Tuesday.&nbsp;
As per the apex court website, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi is scheduled to hear the petitions of Banerjee and three others filed by Mostari Banu and TMC MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen.&nbsp;

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claims victims of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls are being denied a fair hearing and questions the timing and intent of the exercise ahead of elections.

SIR 'victims' not being given opportunity to defend themselves: Mamata Banerjee in Delhi

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claims victims of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls are being denied a fair hearing and questions the timing and intent of the exercise ahead of elections.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the victims of special intensive revision of electoral rolls were not being given an opportunity to defend themselves and questioned the intent behind the conduct of SIR in states just ahead of assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference here with "victims" of the SIR process from Bengal, she said they represented many others who suffered due to the exercise.
"People sitting behind us are all SIR victims. I could have brought lakhs of people here," Banerjee said at a press conference in Delhi.
"They are not giving an opportunity to SIR victims to defend themselves," the TMC supremo alleged.
On Monday, the Trinamool Congress chief and other leaders had taken some of these people to a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR issue, but Banerjee later walked out in protest, claiming that their delegation was "insulted".
She also accused the EC of acting at the BJP's behest.
Questioning the timing of the SIR, Banerjee on Tuesday asked why the exercise was being conducted on the eve of assembly elections.
She also questioned why the exercise was being conducted in only poll-bound states ruled by the opposition and not in BJP-ruled Assam.
"Out of four election-bound states, they're doing SIR in three states and not in BJP-ruled Assam," she said.
"Why is SIR being done on the eve of the election. Is it possible to do it within 2-3 months without any planning," she asked.
Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee earlier met the "victims" of the SIR exercise at Banga Bhawan in Chanakyapuri, and claimed they are genuine voters whose names were erased from the electoral rolls.
Banerjee assured them all support and said this fight for their rights, dignity, and democratic voice will not stop until justice is delivered.

Sharad Pawar dismissed political allegations over Ajit Pawar’s plane crash, calling it an accident and urging leaders not to politicise the tragedy.

Ajit Pawar's death in plane crash an accident, don't bring politics: Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar dismissed political allegations over Ajit Pawar&rsquo;s plane crash, calling it an accident and urging leaders not to politicise the tragedy.

In an apparent snub to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the plane crash involving his nephew Ajit Pawar and four others was an accident which shouldn't be politicised.&nbsp;
Addressing reporters, he said Ajit's death was a big shock for Maharashtra, which has lost a hardworking and efficient leader, and this loss is irreparable.&nbsp;
"Not all things are in our hands," he added.
"A stand was floated from Kolkata that there is some politics involved in this incident. But there is nothing like this. There is no politics in it. It was an accident. I request not to bring politics into it," he added.
Banerjee has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of Ajit Pawar, alleging that "all other agencies" have been &ldquo;completely compromised&rdquo;.
Stressing that the truth would not emerge through existing mechanisms, Banerjee said only a probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court would be credible.&nbsp;

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into Ajit Pawar’s plane crash death, alleging that other agencies are compromised.

Mamata demands SC-monitored probe into Ajit Pawar's death in plane crash

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into Ajit Pawar&rsquo;s plane crash death, alleging that other agencies are compromised.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, alleging that &ldquo;all other agencies&rdquo; have been &ldquo;completely compromised&rdquo;.
Stressing that the truth would not emerge through existing mechanisms, Banerjee said only a probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court would be credible.
&ldquo;We trust only the Supreme Court. All other agencies have been completely compromised,&rdquo; she told reporters here before leaving for Singur in Hooghly district.
Pawar (66), the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, and four others were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed near Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning.
The Learjet 46, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, crash-landed at the Baramati airport.
There were five people onboard, including crew members, according to the aviation regulator DGCA.
Banerjee also hinted that Ajit Pawar was planning to return to the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by his uncle Sharad Pawar NCP (SP), noting that reports circulating in recent days had pointed to such a move.
&ldquo;I was truly shocked to see the news (of Ajit Pawar&rsquo;s death) this morning. It shows that there is no safety or security in this country, even for political leaders,&rdquo; the CM said.
&ldquo;Even those who are a part of the ruling establishment today do not seem to be safe,&rdquo; she added.

The Supreme Court termed ED’s allegation against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee as serious, stayed the FIR against ED officials, and agreed to examine limits of state interference in central probes.

Supreme Court calls ED allegations against Mamata Banerjee serious, stays FIR against officials

The Supreme Court termed ED&rsquo;s allegation against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee as serious, stayed the FIR against ED officials, and agreed to examine limits of state interference in central probes.

The Supreme Court on Thursday described the ED's allegation that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee caused "obstruction" in its probe as "very serious" and agreed to examine whether a state's law-enforcing agencies can interfere with any central agency's investigation into any serious offence.
The top court stayed the FIR filed in West Bengal against ED officials who raided the I-PAC office and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, on January 8 and directed the state police to protect the CCTV footage of the raids.
A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi issued notices to CM Banerjee, the West Bengal government, DGP Rajeev Kumar and top cops on the ED's petitions seeking a CBI probe against them for allegedly obstructing raids at I-PAC premises.
"According to us, adherence to the rule of law in the country and to allow each organ to function independently, it is necessary to examine the issue so that the offenders are not allowed to be protected under the shield of law-enforcing agencies of a particular state."
"Larger questions are involved and have been raised, which, if allowed to remain undecided, would further worsen the situation, and there will be a situation of lawlessness prevailing in one or the other state, considering that different outfits are governing different places," the bench said.
The apex court said a central agency has no power to interfere with the election work of any party. But at the same time, if central agencies are acting bona fide to investigate any serious offence, the question arises whether agencies can be restricted from carrying out duties under the shield of party activity, it said.
The matter is posted for further hearing on February 3.
Earlier in the day, the top court said that it was very much disturbed by the commotion at the Calcutta High Court during its hearing in the ED raids case.
The Calcutta High Court had adjourned till January 14 the hearing on petitions related to the ED's search and seizure operations at sites linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC, citing unmanageable chaos inside the courtroom.
As the hearing commenced, the ED said the West Bengal government's "interference and obstruction" during the probe agency's raids reflects a very shocking pattern.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, told the bench that in the past also, whenever statutory authorities exercised statutory power, Banerjee barged in and interfered.
"It reflects a very shocking pattern," Mehta said while contending that this will only encourage such acts, and the central forces will be demoralised.
"The states will feel they can barge in, commit theft, and then sit on a dharna. Let an example be set, officers who were explicitly present there should be suspended," the solicitor general said.
Mehta submitted that there was evidence leading to the conclusion that incriminating material was lying in the I-PAC office.
"Let an example be set, and officers explicitly present there should be suspended. Direct the competent authority to act, and please take cognisance of what is happening. We are here to protect our officers' fundamental rights. We are acting under the law and do not seize for personal gains," he said.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal opposed Mehta's plea and said the case should be heard by the Calcutta High Court first, and proper hierarchy should be followed. He claimed the ED was filing parallel proceedings.
Sibal also referred to the video recording of the raid and said, "It is a blatant lie that all digital devices were taken. Allegation that CM Mamata Banerjee took all devices is a lie, substantiated by ED's own panchnama (search record)."
"The last statement in the coal scam was recorded in February 2024; what was ED doing since then? Why so keen in the midst of elections?" he posed.
The ED's plea in the apex court follows events from January 8, when ED's officials faced obstructions during the probe agency's raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC in Salt Lake and the residence of its chief, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata in connection with a coal smuggling case.
The probe agency has claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee entered the premises and took away "key" evidence related to the probe.
The chief minister has accused the central agency of overreach, while her party, Trinamool Congress, has denied the ED's allegation of "obstructing" its probe. The state's police have registered an FIR against ED officers.

The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe into alleged obstruction during I-PAC raids, accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and others of seizing key evidence.

ED Seeks CBI Probe Against West Bengal CM for Obstructing Raids

ED Seeks CBI Probe: Mamata Banerjee Accused

The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe into alleged obstruction during I-PAC raids, accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and others of seizing key evidence.

The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking a CBI probe against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, senior police officials and others after facing obstruction during its raids in Kolkata against political consultancy firm I-PAC and its director.
PTI has reviewed the writ petition of the federal probe agency, wherein it has claimed that these actions led to a "complete takeover" of its search operation by the "state machinery".
There was "direct" involvement of the highest political executive and abuse of police power, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
It urged the high court to "direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register FIR(s) and investigate the entire incident, including the role of the present respondents being the chief minister, police officials, and all persons acting in concert".
The agency added that a probe by the CBI was essential as both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court have consistently held that where the "high and mighty" in the state are involved in the commission of cognizable offences, investigation ought to be transferred to the CBI.
The ED also sought "immediate seizure, sealing, forensic preservation, and restoration to lawful custody of the ED" of all digital devices, electronic records, storage media, and documents "illegally and forcibly" taken away from the search premises.
The high court is expected to hear the petition next week.
The ED conducted a search at the Salt Lake office of I-PAC and the Kolkata residence of its founder and one of the directors, Pratik Jain, on Thursday as part of its probe into the alleged coal scam-linked money laundering case. Some other locations in the state and Delhi were also raided.
The federal probe agency had alleged in a press statement on Thursday that Banerjee entered Jain's residence on Loudon Street in Kolkata during the raids and "took away key evidence" and followed the same action at the I-PAC office.
It claimed the chief minister entered the premises despite a "categorical request being made (by ED officials) not to interfere with the ongoing search proceedings under PMLA."
"However, violating all law and order, Mamata Banerjee, with the aid of police personnel, forcibly took possession of all digital devices along with key incriminating documents from the possession of the authorised officer and left the premises around 12:15 PM," it said.
"The search was frustrated, and no seizure was therefore possible. The search was terminated for security reasons and could not be concluded," the ED said.
It claimed in the petition that about Rs 20 crore of hawala funds, generated from alleged coal pilferage in West Bengal, found their way to I-PAC. The organisation has been providing political consultancy to TMC and the state government since 2021.
"Concrete material found during the investigation revealed that at least Rs 20 crore worth of proceeds of crime was transferred to IPAC through hawala channels. In continuation of the ongoing investigation and to trace out the proceeds of crime and utilisation thereof, a search action was initiated against IPAC and certain other entities in relation to the coal smuggling case," the petition said.
ED officials claimed these Rs 20 crore worth "hawala" funds were moved by a Mumbai-based 'Angadiya' firm that got into the crosshairs of the agency during its probe into the Delhi liquor "scam" case involving the Aam Aadmi Party.
It was alleged by the ED that Rs 45 crore kickbacks generated from the Delhi excise policy "scam" were moved by the AAP for its 2022 Goa assembly election campaign. The agency claimed Pratik Jain "handled" IPAC operations in Goa.
The ED said its officials were "not allowed to perform their lawful duties."
It also urged the high court to pass an interim order restraining any access, deletion, cloning, or tampering with the seized digital devices and electronic records, as it sought protection against various FIRs filed by the local police against its officials for this operation.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a protest march against the Enforcement Directorate’s searches at I-PAC chief Pratik Jain’s residence and offices, accusing the Centre of misusing agencies.

I-PAC row: Mamata Banerjee hits streets, leads protest march in Kolkata against ED action

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a protest march against the Enforcement Directorate&rsquo;s searches at I-PAC chief Pratik Jain&rsquo;s residence and offices, accusing the Centre of misusing agencies.

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday began leading a protest march against the Enforcement Directorate&rsquo;s searches at the residence and offices of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain.
Accompanied by senior party leaders, ministers, MPs, MLAs and a large number of supporters, Banerjee started the march from the 8B Bus Stand area, amid sloganeering against the BJP-led central government, accusing it of &ldquo;misusing central agencies for political vendetta&rdquo; ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
The rally, which is proceeding towards Hazra More, follows Banerjee&rsquo;s dramatic visit on Thursday to Jain&rsquo;s Loudon Street residence during a search operation by the ED.
The chief minister had alleged that the agency was attempting to seize the Trinamool Congress&rsquo; internal documents, hard disks and confidential organisational data unrelated to any financial investigation.&nbsp;

The Trinamool Congress approached the Calcutta High Court seeking restraint on misuse of documents seized by the ED from I-PAC office and chief’s residence.

TMC Petitions Calcutta HC Against ED Raids on I-PAC Office

TMC Challenges ED Raids in Calcutta High Court

The Trinamool Congress approached the Calcutta High Court seeking restraint on misuse of documents seized by the ED from I-PAC office and chief&rsquo;s residence.

The Trinamool Congress on Friday moved the Calcutta High Court against the ED raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its chief here, seeking restraint on &ldquo;misuse and dissemination&rdquo; of documents seized during the search operations.
The ruling party in West Bengal, in its petition, alleged that the ED seized sensitive and confidential political data meant for the TMC&rsquo;s use in the upcoming assembly elections, in a display of &ldquo;arbitrary, mala fide, and colourable exercise of power&rdquo;.
PTI has accessed the synopsis of the petition, which refers to the probe agency&rsquo;s search and seizure operations under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, on January 8. The ED maintained that the operations were part of a probe into an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam.
&ldquo;The petitioner submits that the seized articles and electronic data consist of confidential political data/information/documents relating to campaign strategy, internal assessments, research inputs, organisational coordination, and electoral roll-related data used for electioneering purposes in the forthcoming West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election, 2026,&rdquo; the TMC stated in its petition.
&ldquo;The said materials have no proximate, causal, or even remote nexus with any scheduled offence or alleged proceeds of crime, and do not fall within the scope of investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering, 2002,&rdquo; it said.
The Trinamool Congress alleged that the ED operations were aimed at &ldquo;unlawfully accessing and controlling the petitioner's electoral roll management, campaign planning, and political strategy, with the clear intent to disrupt a free and fair electoral process&rdquo; under the pretext of investigation.
&ldquo;Such targeted seizure amounts to an impermissible intrusion into the petitioner's right to privacy under Article 21 and its constitutional right to participate meaningfully in the democratic process under Article 19.
&ldquo;The petitioner apprehends grave prejudice, misuse, and dissemination of the seized data, which, if not restrained, would irreversibly damage the integrity of the electoral process and undermine constitutional democracy, warranting immediate intervention of this Hon'ble Court,&rdquo; the petition said.

The Enforcement Directorate claims West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee took key documents and devices from I-PAC premises during a money laundering raid linked to coal smuggling.

Mamata Banerjee took away key evidence during raids in coal 'scam' case against I-PAC official: ED

The Enforcement Directorate claims West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee took key documents and devices from I-PAC premises during a money laundering raid linked to coal smuggling.

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee entered the residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain in Kolkata during a raid in a money laundering case linked to alleged coal smuggling, and took away &ldquo;key&rdquo; evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices.
In a statement, the federal probe agency also accused Banerjee of subsequently proceeding to the I-PAC office in Salt Lake, from where she, her aides, and the state police &ldquo;forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidence&rdquo;.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/695f90996231f_1767870617.png" width="467" height="660">
The ED said raids were being carried out on 10 premises, six in West Bengal and four in Delhi, as part of a 2020 case registered by the CBI against a coal smuggling syndicate led by Anup Majhi alias &lsquo;Lala&rsquo;, who allegedly stole and illegally excavated coal from the Eastern Coalfield leasehold areas in and around Asansol in Bengal&rsquo;s Paschim Bardhaman district.
A hawala operator linked to coal smuggling facilitated transactions of tens of crores of rupees to the Indian PAC Consulting Pvt Ltd, the registered company of political consultancy firm I-PAC.
&ldquo;IPAC is also one of the entities linked to Hawala money,&rdquo; the ED alleged. The proceedings were being conducted peacefully and professionally till the time Mamata Banerjee arrived with a large number of police officers, the ED statement said.
She entered the residential premises of Pratik Jain, the co-founder of I-PAC and head of the IT cell of the Trinamool Congress, the ruling party in West Bengal, and took away key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices, the ED alleged.
The agency said the actions of Banerjee and the Kolkata Police commissioner resulted in &ldquo;obstructions&rdquo; in the ongoing investigation and proceedings being undertaken as per the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
&ldquo;It is clarified that the search is evidence-based and not targeted at any political establishment. No party office has been searched.
&ldquo;The search is not linked to any elections, and is part of a regular crackdown on money laundering. It is conducted strictly in accordance with the established legal safeguards,&rdquo; the ED said.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee intervenes during ED raid at I-PAC offices, alleging political vendetta and seizure of TMC election documents.

Mamata Banerjee storms I-PAC chief’s home amid ED search, alleges bid to seize TMC’s internal data

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee intervenes during ED raid at I-PAC offices, alleging political vendetta and seizure of TMC election documents.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday dramatically turned up at the residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain amid an ongoing ED raid, alleging that the central agency was attempting to seize the TMC&rsquo;s internal documents, hard disks and sensitive data linked to its election strategy.
She said the raid at the residence and offices of Jain, "the in-charge of my IT cell", was politically motivated and unconstitutional.
Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, arrived at Jain&rsquo;s residence around noon, minutes after Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma reached the spot, and stayed for 20-25 minutes before emerging with a green folder in her hand.
&ldquo;They have raided the residence and offices of our in-charge of IT cell. They were confiscating my party&rsquo;s documents and hard disks, which have details about our party candidates for the assembly polls. I have brought those back,&rdquo; Banerjee told reporters.
She accused the ED officials of walking away with hard disks, mobile phones, laptops, candidate lists and internal strategy documents of the ruling party.
&ldquo;Is it the duty of the ED to collect political party data?&rdquo; she asked.
Apart from providing political consultancy to the TMC, the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) also manages the party&rsquo;s IT and media operations.
Launching a blistering attack on the BJP leadership, Banerjee described the search as an act of &ldquo;political vendetta&rdquo; and accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misusing constitutional agencies to intimidate opposition parties.
&ldquo;This is not law enforcement. Is this how the nastiest home minister functions, who can protect the country?&rdquo; she said, later adding, &ldquo;I am sorry Mr Amit Shah, the Prime Minister must control his home minister.&rdquo;
ED searches had also been underway since early morning at I-PAC&rsquo;s office in Sector V, Salt Lake. Banerjee alleged the raids began around 6 am when no one was present at the office.
&ldquo;They started the search when there was nobody inside. They transferred our data, poll strategies and information into their system. This is a crime,&rdquo; she alleged after visiting the Sector-V office.
According to sources, several files were brought out of the office during the search and placed in the chief minister&rsquo;s vehicle while she was still at Jain&rsquo;s residence.
Banerjee later proceeded to the Sector-V office, reaching around 1 pm. By then, senior officers of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate had cordoned off the area, while several local TMC leaders and ministers, including Bidhannagar Mayor Krishna Chakraborty and state minister Sujit Bose, were already present.
Senior state police officers, including Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, also reached the office.
Central forces had sealed the entry and exit points of the multi-storey building where I-PAC&rsquo;s office is located.
Without engaging with central force personnel, Banerjee accessed the building through the basement and took a general lift to reach the 11th floor, where the office is situated, despite a separate VIP lift arrangement being available.
&ldquo;They have taken our election strategy, our SIR data and other details. If the assembly polls pass and we have to draw up election plans afresh, who will be responsible?&rdquo; the CM asked.
Accusing the BJP of systematically undermining democracy, Banerjee alleged large-scale deletion of voters from electoral rolls in West Bengal.
&ldquo;The BJP is the murderer of democracy. Names of over 15 lakh people have been deleted through the SIR process. Do they think they can capture the state by deleting voters and raiding the IT cell offices of political parties?&rdquo; she said.
Asserting that the TMC is a registered political party that pays income tax, Banerjee said the Centre cannot &ldquo;bulldoze us using money and muscle power&rdquo;.
&ldquo;I dare the BJP to fight us politically if they want to win Bengal,&rdquo; she said, adding that she would remain at the I-PAC office until Jain arrived and resumed work.
The episode is reminiscent of a dramatic standoff in 2019 at the same Loudon Street address, when the CBI searched the bungalow of then police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, prompting Banerjee to rush to the spot and later stage a dharna in central Kolkata.
Reacting sharply, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused the chief minister of repeatedly interfering in the functioning of constitutional agencies.
&ldquo;I feel that the chief minister&rsquo;s visit, along with the Kolkata police commissioner, was unethical, unconstitutional and a direct interference in a central agency&rsquo;s investigation,&rdquo; Adhikari told reporters, questioning why the TMC&rsquo;s internal documents were allegedly with a private consultancy firm.
The ED did not issue any official statement on the searches till the filing of this report, and the exact nature of the case being probed remained unclear.

The BJP on Wednesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to the state, alleging dictatorship and repeated attacks on democracy in Bengal.

BJP Criticizes Mamata Banerjee for Alleged Threats to Amit Shah

BJP Slams Mamata Banerjee for Alleged Threats

The BJP on Wednesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to the state, alleging dictatorship and repeated attacks on democracy in Bengal.

The BJP on Wednesday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a visit to the state, and alleged that she has been running a "tanasahi" (dictatorship).
Addressing a press conference Bhubaneswar, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that Banerjee, while addressing a public meeting in Bankura district, threatened the Home Minister of India that she "allowed" him to come out of the hotel where he was staying in Kolkata.
Patra said, &ldquo;Mamata Banerjee has threatened the Home Minister of India in words which cannot even be thought of. We have seen it. She said that you (Shah) are hiding in a hotel. If we want, you cannot step out of the hotel. You are lucky that we allowed you to come out of the hotel.&rdquo;
Claiming that she had done this "for the sake of infiltrators", he asserted that it is not only a threat to the Union home minister, but also to the entire population of the country.
"You (Banerjee) are not just threatening Amit Shah; you are threatening India," Patra said, adding that this is not the first time that such an incident has happened in West Bengal.
"Our party president JP Nadda&rsquo;s cavalcade was attacked during the previous elections by infiltrators,&rdquo; the Puri MP said.
Patra asserted that Shah has raised issues such as corruption, injustice, and especially the politics surrounding infiltrators in West Bengal.
He also alleged that around 300 BJP activists were killed in West Bengal by goons of the TMC, while 3,000 others had to flee their homes.
"This is Hitler-sahi and tanasahi,&rdquo; Patra alleged. &ldquo;There have been attacks on democracy in Bengal. This is happening in a state which led the country all along. Bengal is now destroyed by Mamata Banerjee,&rdquo; he said.
Patra alleged that the Trinamool Congress supremo has a problem with the names of infiltrators being removed from the electoral rolls.
&ldquo;Mamata Banerjee is threatening the Home Minister of the country for the sake of infiltrators,&rdquo; he alleged.
BJP will form a government with a two-thirds majority in West Bengal, and the party is preparing for that, he said.
Patra said, &ldquo;West Bengal is for Indians and Bengalis, and not for infiltrators. Mamata Banerjee is not allotting land for fencing on the (international) border. She is more worried about infiltrators and Rohingyas than the state. Tunnels are constructed to bring infiltrators, and efforts are made to give them recognition. Once the BJP forms the government, each infiltrator would be identified and evicted.&rdquo;
Noting that Bengal has the history of leading the country on several fronts, Patra alleged that the state&rsquo;s economy, industrialisation and development has suffered a lot due to the &ldquo;appeasement&rdquo; politics of Banerjee.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Mamata Banerjee’s government of allowing Bangladeshis’ infiltration, claiming it altered West Bengal’s demography, and promised BJP would end it after winning the 2026 state elections.

Amit Shah Accuses Mamata Government of Bangladeshi Infiltration

Shah Criticizes Mamata on Bengal Infiltration

Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Mamata Banerjee&rsquo;s government of allowing Bangladeshis&rsquo; infiltration, claiming it altered West Bengal&rsquo;s demography, and promised BJP would end it after winning the 2026 state elections.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal was abetting infiltration of Bangladeshis, which has "dangerously altered" the state's demography over the past few years.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Shah said people of West Bengal were anxious over infiltration, which the BJP would end after coming to power in the state with a "two-thirds majority in 2026."
"We will not only identify infiltrators, but we'll also drive them out. Bengal will have a new BJP government after April 15, 2026, as people have made up their minds," he said.
Shah said the Centre has not been able to complete fencing of the India-Bangladesh border because the West Bengal government was not providing the required land.
Shah said the party will stop infiltration from the eastern borders and ensure revitalisation of Bengal once it comes to power in the state.
"BJP will form a government in West Bengal with a two-thirds majority," he said.
Shah said members of the Matua community have no reason to fear because of the SIR exercise.
"It is our pledge that all religiously persecuted refugees will be accommodated in the country. Even Mamata Banerjee cannot cause harm to the Matuas," he said.
Shah alleged that the TMC has surpassed the Left in establishing the politics of fear and violence.
"It was believed that the politics of violence and revenge would end once the Communists were defeated, but they have surpassed even the Communists. So far, more than 300 BJP workers have been killed. Over 3,000 BJP workers have still not been able to return to their homes. They are being pressured that they will be allowed there only if they carry the TMC flag," he alleged.
Shah said top TMC leaders have been to jails on charges of swindling public money, with machines to count cash recovered from their homes malfunctioning because of overheating.
"People of Bengal have resolved to replace fear, corruption and misgovernance with good governance," he said.
Shah alleged West Bengal's economy has witnessed an unprecedented slide, with more than 7,000 industries fleeing.
"People of Bengal have given Congress, Left, TMC opportunities to govern, now I appeal to them to give BJP a chance," he said.

The Election Commission has started the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, with over 80,000 BLOs visiting households to distribute enumeration forms. The process runs till December 4, with final electoral rolls due on February 7, 2026.

West Bengal Launches Comprehensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

Electoral Roll Revision in West Bengal Begins

The Election Commission has started the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, with over 80,000 BLOs visiting households to distribute enumeration forms. The process runs till December 4, with final electoral rolls due on February 7, 2026.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls commenced in West Bengal on Tuesday, with booth-level officers (BLOs) visiting voters' residences and distributing enumeration forms to them, an EC official said.
Altogether, 80,681 BLOs have been deployed to conduct the exercise, he said.
"Overall, 7.66 crore enumeration forms have so far been prepared for the 294 assembly constituencies in the state, and each voter will get two forms. BLO would countersign both forms. The officer would retain one form for the Election Commission of India and return the second with a stamped acknowledgement, which may be required for future reference," one of the officials said while elaborating on the process.
No untoward incident has been reported since the house-to-house distribution of enumeration forms started this morning, he said.
"We are hopeful that the process will proceed smoothly across the state," the official told PTI.
SIR-related help desks have also been opened at the offices of the DEOs across West Bengal.
This month-long process of house-to-house enumeration will continue till December 4, and the draft rolls will be published on December 9. Claims and objections can be raised from December 9 to January 8. Notices will be issued, and hearings and verifications will take place between December 9 and January 31.
The final electoral rolls will be published on February 7.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has become a political flashpoint, with BJP calling it a transparency measure and TMC accusing it of targeting voters.

West Bengal's Electoral Roll Revision Sparks Political Tensions

West Bengal Electoral Roll Revision Tensions

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has become a political flashpoint, with BJP calling it a transparency measure and TMC accusing it of targeting voters.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, set to begin in West Bengal on Tuesday, has snowballed into a political flashpoint, with the BJP and the Election Commission touting it as a bid to ensure transparency and the TMC gearing up for a grassroots showdown ahead of the 2026 assembly polls.
The voters' list revision would commence after a similar exercise was conducted in the state in 2002. While the BJP has welcomed the SIR as a step towards ensuring greater transparency in the electoral rolls, the ruling TMC has questioned its timing and intent, alleging that the Election Commission (EC) is acting under pressure from the saffron party to manipulate the voter list ahead of the state elections next year.
With both parties treating the SIR as a prelude to the 2026 Assembly elections, the contest has morphed into what many in political circles describe as "the battle of two forces, the administrative and the organisational".
The BJP, buoyed by the Election Commission's "proactive stance" and the possibility of central deployment, is pinning hopes on what it calls a "cleansing" of West Bengal's voter list.
The TMC, meanwhile, has activated its battle-hardened booth network, determined to ensure that no "genuine voter" is struck off the rolls.
The exercise, involving house-to-house verification by booth level officers (BLOs) from November 4 to December 4, has already turned into a flashpoint.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead a rally in Kolkata on Tuesday to protest what her party calls a "politically motivated revision" aimed at disenfranchising minorities and marginalised groups.
Her nephew and TMC's national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, has called for "man-marking" of BLOs and directed the appointment of booth level agents (BLAs) across all 84,000 booths to monitor every step of the process.
In a virtual meeting with TMC leaders on Friday, Abhishek instructed that BLOs be "kept under constant watch" and that party agents accompany them during fieldwork to prevent "arbitrary deletions".
He has also ordered the setting up of war rooms in every assembly constituency, complete with data teams and communication links to coordinate the exercise. He has said that the next six months will be the "acid test" for the party's organisational machinery.
Despite the urgency, EC data till October 30 show the TMC trailing its rivals in appointing BLAs. The BJP has deployed 294 BLA-1s and 7,912 BLA-2s, while the CPI(M) has appointed 143 and 6,175, respectively.
The TMC has so far managed only 36 BLA-1s and 2,349 BLA-2s, though party insiders insist the shortfall will be bridged by Monday.
The BJP has accused the ruling party of inflating the voter rolls. Citing administrative inputs, the saffron camp claims that over 40 lakh "duplicate or fake" names existed in Bengal's rolls during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and expects the SIR to strike off at least a crore names.
"Those who thrived on ghost voters and bogus ballots are panicking," BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya claimed.
TMC leaders have responded with equally sharp warnings. Barrackpore MP Partha Bhowmik recently said that if even one "genuine voter's name" was deleted, "local BJP leaders will not be allowed to step out of their homes."
Abhishek Banerjee has threatened to bring "one lakh people from Bengal" to the EC office in Delhi if voter names are arbitrarily removed.
The BJP counters that the TMC's so-called "booth muscle" thrives under the protection of a pliant police force.
Amid this charged backdrop, the poll panel has trained over 80,000 BLOs and issued a 16-point guideline along with a mobile app to streamline operations. Training for BLAs, the party representatives who will shadow the BLOs, ends on November 3.
Yet the training has not been without hiccups. Teachers deputed as BLOs have protested being marked "absent" in school registers during training. Many have demanded central security for both training and fieldwork, citing threats and political intimidation.
"We are being sent to volatile areas without protection," a teacher said in the North 24 Parganas district.
The TMC has alleged that four people have died by suicide, fearing the loss of their voting rights, while another is hospitalised after consuming poison.
The BJP has rubbished the claims as "manufactured melodrama".
Observers see the unfolding tension as a continuation of West Bengal's political pattern, a contest not merely for votes, but for control. In both the 2021 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP relied heavily on central forces, while the TMC drew strength from its disciplined booth machinery. The results went the TMC's way both times.
"Bengal's politics has always been fought at the booth level. The SIR will test not only the integrity of the voter list but also the resilience of these two armies, one administrative, one organisational," said a Kolkata-based political scientist.
The enumeration phase will be followed by publication of the draft rolls on December 9. Objections can be filed till January 8, with the final voter list set for release on February 7, just two months before the 2026 Assembly elections expected in April-May.
As Bengal&rsquo;s politics shifts from big rallies to door-to-door visits, the focus has turned to the voter list itself. In this SIR exercise, the real battle is between who gets included or left out of the rolls, because every single name could make a difference in the final count.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee criticizes Assam's CM for issuing an NRC notice to a Bengal resident, urging political resistance.

Mamata Questions Assam NRC Move, Cites Bengal Citizen

Mamata Banerjee confronts Assam CM's NRC notice to Bengal resident, claiming divisive BJP tactics. Calls for resistance.

Mamata Banerjee condemns Assam CM over NRC notice to a Bengal resident, urging resistance to BJP's divisive moves.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took her reproval of her Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, a notch higher on Monday by questioning the latter&rsquo;s authority in sending NRC notices to bona fide citizens of Bengal, and demanded he stop meddling in matters that are beyond his jurisdiction.
Ensuring that her accusations against the BJP&rsquo;s policies elsewhere in the country had a concrete face, the Trinamool Congress supremo presented Uttam Kumar Brajabashi before lakhs of TMC supporters at the Martyrs&rsquo; Day rally here to drive her point.
Brajabashi, a resident of Cooch Behar in the northern part of West Bengal, received an NRC notice from the Assam government sometime back, asking him to prove his Indian citizenship or face deportation.
&ldquo;Look at this man who has lived in Cooch Behar for the last 50 years,&rdquo; said Banerjee, holding Brajabashi, a Rajbanshi community member from Dinhata, by his hands in the air.
&ldquo;The Assam government, in all its arrogance, has sent him an NRC notice. Tell me, my Rajbanshi brothers, what right does it have? We ask the BJP government, under what authority has it done this? We need answers right away,&rdquo; she said.
Making her frontal attack on Sarma, albeit without directly naming him, Banerjee pledged political backlashes in Assam if the persecutions did not stop.
&ldquo;The Assam chief minister can&rsquo;t mind his own state and he dares to interfere in Bengal. Stop this interference immediately, or I will ask Sushmita Deb and others to build up resistance in that state. We will all go from here and see how many of us they can hold in their detention camps,&rdquo; the CM said.
Sushmita Deb, a TMC leader from Assam, is a Rajya Sabha MP.
Earlier this month, Brajabashi claimed he produced documents which showed that his parents were voters in Dinhata. He maintained throughout that he was born in Cooch Behar and never travelled outside Bengal, irrespective of the Assam government accusing him of being an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh.
A war of words between the two chief ministers broke out last week after Banerjee called the Assam government's actions &ldquo;a divisive agenda of the BJP&rdquo; targeting citizens speaking Bangla, and Sarma responded that he was &ldquo;fearlessly resisting the ongoing, unchecked Muslim infiltration from across the border.&rdquo;

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee flagged off the first Rath Yatra from Digha’s newly built Jagannath temple, joining thousands in pulling the deities’ chariots amid festive chants.

Mamata Banerjee inaugurates first Rath Yatra from new Jagannath temple in Digha

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee flagged off the first Rath Yatra from Digha&rsquo;s newly built Jagannath temple, joining thousands in pulling the deities&rsquo; chariots amid festive chants.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday inaugurated the first Rath Yatra from the newly constructed Jagannath temple in the coastal town of Digha.
Amid the chants of 'Joy Jagannath' by thousands of pilgrims, including foreigners, the CM, along with her cabinet colleagues, pulled the ropes of the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his two siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra this afternoon.
She appealed through a public address system that the devotees could touch the ropes of all three chariots from inside the barricades along the 750-metre procession from the main temple to the sibling deities' aunt's place.
Pilgrims attending the grand Rath Yatra festival originating from the newly constructed Jagannath temple in Digha on Friday have been asked to stand behind barricades along the procession route.
They wouldn't be allowed to spill onto the streets to pull the ropes of the chariots of the sibling deities, Banerjee had said on Thursday.
Earlier, the CM ceremonially swept the road before three chariots with a golden broom around 2 pm and offered 'arati' to the sibling deities.
She also witnessed a cultural programme of a group of children of ISKCON devotees from abroad, who were performing to the tune of music by Madhab's rock band.
Earlier in the day, around 40 ISKCON devotees, mostly from abroad, danced to the beats of 'Hare Ram, Hare Krishna' before the chariots for hours.

mamata banerjee

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