A Trinamool Congress delegation accused the Election Commission of “blood on their hands” over 40 deaths, including BLOs, during West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The party alleged an “unplanned and heartless” execution, questioning the EC’s focus on Bengal as a border state and its alleged bias against the state. NEW DELHI: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation in its meeting with Election Commission on Friday alleged that there have been 40 deaths, including those of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, so far, in West Bengal, and accused chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and his two colleagues of “having blood on their hands”.TMC leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’ Brien, who led the delegation, told reporters that it raised five questions, but “did not get any answers”, even as the CEC spoke for an hour. The TMC leader said his party was not opposed to the concept of SIR, but was against the “unplanned manner” and “heartless” way in which EC was executing it.Another member of the delegation, Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra claimed that EC dismissed the submissions on “SIR-related deaths” as mere allegations. “Does EC or the CEC take responsibility for the deaths of BLOs?” TMC asked as it alleged that across several states, numerous BLOs have lost their lives while carrying out their SIR duties. These include cases of BLOs who have been forced to commit suicide, the Mamata Banerjee-led party alleged, citing the “inhuman pressure” by EC.TMC accused EC of anti-West Bengal bias and asked that if the true intent of SIR was to remove illegal immigrants from the voters’ list, why was Bengal the only border state under scrutiny.Why is the exercise watered down as a “special revision” in Assam and non-existent in other border states of the Northeast, and is SIR meant to “protect the voters’ list or to cast doubt on the very identity of Bengalis” and push them out of it, TMC asked. The party sought to know how many non-citizens were eradicated from the rolls in Bihar after the SIR exercises in the state.TMC also asked EC that if the electoral rolls were good enough for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, then why have these been dubbed “unreliable”. “Why not dissolve the Lok Sabha that was elected by these “unreliable voters,” it said.The TMC has also questioned the neutrality of the SIR process and alleged that when BJP raises a frivolous issue, it is taken up with utmost seriousness. It alleged that sacrosanct rules like the Model Code of Conduct have been tampered with in Bihar to help BJP.“In Bengal, BJP leaders are claiming that one crore voters’ names will be deleted from the rolls. EC has taken no cognizance of these comments, nor has it negated the fear mongering by BJP,” TMC alleged.Later in the evening, TMC parliamentary party leader in Lok Sabha Abhishek Banerjee alleged that EC is “deliberately planting selective leaks to falsely claim that it has provided a point-by-point rebuttal” to the issues raised by the party. “These assertions are not just misleading, they are outright lies,” he alleged.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCyclone Ditwah Approaches India: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh Brace For Impact’Op Sindoor Was Just A Glimpse Of Future Theatre Commands’: Air Marshal Ashutosh DixitPM Modi Unveils World’s Tallest Bronze Statue Of Lord Ram In South GoaIndia Says US Trade Deal Is ‘Only Matter Of Time’ As Tariffs Reshape Bilateral Trade NegotiationsPM Modi Joins Over 1 Lakh Devotees In Mass Bhagwat Gita Recitation At Udupi EventIndia’s Updated Quake Map Warns Entire Himalayan Arc Faces Major Risk, Forcing Urgent Safety Reforms’They Are Ours, We’ll Prove It’: Pakistani Leader’s Absurd Claim On ‘Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan’Cyclone Ditwah Intensifies, Monsoon Fury Slams Sri Lanka With At Least 56 Dead And Dozens MissingViral Video: Stage Crashes During UP Wedding As BJP Leaders Gather To Greet Bride & GroomIndia-Russia Summit Dates Out As PM Modi, Putin Review S-400, Su-57 And Global Security Challenges123PhotostoriesAnkita Lokhande reveals she is returning to Laughter Chefs season 3; Krushna Abhishek says ‘We will celebrate Christmas with our Bhauji’4 simple exercises that can help relieve foot pain from diabetic neuropathyGirija Oak Godbole: Surprising facts about the ‘blue saree girl’ you didn’t knowFrom Pythons to Koalas: 5 sleepyhead animals that nap their way through most of the day2 effective drinks to control blood sugar naturally and how to make them at homeRanbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt to Randeep Hooda: Actors who disappeared with their rolesFrom Saraayah to Sipaara: A look at 2025 Bollywood baby names and their meanings5 countries with zero airports, yet travellers make it in for the experienceSobhita Dhulipala to Shanaya Kapoor: 5 breathtaking celeb looks of the dayHow to make iron and protein-rich Egg and Spinach Omelette for breakfast123Hot PicksDelhi AQI TodayNew Labour CodeWorld NewsGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingJayden Daniels InjuryCyclone Ditwah ImpactBengaluru techieFortnite Chapter 7 LeakedAyesha CurryFuzzy ZoellerDelhi Car Blast10 Greatest Thanksgiving Moments in NFL historyGabrielle UnionVanessa Bryant
NEW DELHI: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation in its meeting with Election Commission on Friday alleged that there have been 40 deaths, including those of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, so far, in West Bengal, and accused chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and his two colleagues of “having blood on their hands”.TMC leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’ Brien, who led the delegation, told reporters that it raised five questions, but “did not get any answers”, even as the CEC spoke for an hour. The TMC leader said his party was not opposed to the concept of SIR, but was against the “unplanned manner” and “heartless” way in which EC was executing it.Another member of the delegation, Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra claimed that EC dismissed the submissions on “SIR-related deaths” as mere allegations. “Does EC or the CEC take responsibility for the deaths of BLOs?” TMC asked as it alleged that across several states, numerous BLOs have lost their lives while carrying out their SIR duties. These include cases of BLOs who have been forced to commit suicide, the Mamata Banerjee-led party alleged, citing the “inhuman pressure” by EC.TMC accused EC of anti-West Bengal bias and asked that if the true intent of SIR was to remove illegal immigrants from the voters’ list, why was Bengal the only border state under scrutiny.Why is the exercise watered down as a “special revision” in Assam and non-existent in other border states of the Northeast, and is SIR meant to “protect the voters’ list or to cast doubt on the very identity of Bengalis” and push them out of it, TMC asked. The party sought to know how many non-citizens were eradicated from the rolls in Bihar after the SIR exercises in the state.TMC also asked EC that if the electoral rolls were good enough for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, then why have these been dubbed “unreliable”. “Why not dissolve the Lok Sabha that was elected by these “unreliable voters,” it said.The TMC has also questioned the neutrality of the SIR process and alleged that when BJP raises a frivolous issue, it is taken up with utmost seriousness. It alleged that sacrosanct rules like the Model Code of Conduct have been tampered with in Bihar to help BJP.“In Bengal, BJP leaders are claiming that one crore voters’ names will be deleted from the rolls. EC has taken no cognizance of these comments, nor has it negated the fear mongering by BJP,” TMC alleged.Later in the evening, TMC parliamentary party leader in Lok Sabha Abhishek Banerjee alleged that EC is “deliberately planting selective leaks to falsely claim that it has provided a point-by-point rebuttal” to the issues raised by the party. “These assertions are not just misleading, they are outright lies,” he alleged.
