KOLKATA: In a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused the poll body of showing undue leniency towards obstacles hampering the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Adhikari highlighted repeated incidents of alleged thuggery by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers at centers handling objections and claims on the draft voter list.
‘Why is the Commission limiting itself to mere advisories when it comes to these disruptions during SIR?’ Adhikari questioned. ‘The people of West Bengal don’t need circulars; they demand concrete and decisive action from the ECI. The time for sermons is over—it’s time for action now.’
He further pressed why Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were not being deployed at these hearing centers. ‘The Constitution grants the Election Commission supreme powers,’ Adhikari asserted. ‘It can deploy central forces without consulting anyone, and if needed, even the army.’
This criticism echoes recent remarks by West Bengal BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya, who also charged the ECI with going soft on TMC leaders and workers creating hurdles in the revision process. Bhattacharya had urged the Chief Election Commissioner to personally visit the state and assess the ground situation.
Adhikari dropped a bombshell prediction ahead of the crucial West Bengal Assembly elections later this year. ‘Minorities in the state may not vote for BJP,’ he said, ‘but I believe they won’t back TMC this time either.’ His words signal shifting voter dynamics that could reshape the electoral landscape in the state long dominated by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.
As tensions simmer over the voter list revision, Adhikari’s call for robust ECI intervention underscores the high stakes in ensuring free and fair polls. The coming months will test the Commission’s resolve amid accusations of political interference.