Day after meeting with EC, Trinamool Congress asks poll body to release transcript

A day after a 10-member Trinamool Congress delegation met a full bench of the Election Commission (EC) on the issue of special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out in 12 States and Union Territories, including West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress on Saturday (November 29, 2025) asked the poll body to release the transcript of the meeting.

Addressing a press conference here, the party claimed that the EC did not answer any of the five questions raised on the issue of SIR exercise in West Bengal, including the recent “SIR-related” deaths, at the meeting on Friday.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien said his party was not against the SIR in principle but feels that the methodology was flawed. “This is going the same way as demonetisation”.

“Our National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has made a reasonable demand…Why don’t you release the transcript of what transpired in the meeting. We are not asking it to be done in one or two days. Take your time but release the transcript,” Mr. O’Brien said.

The Trinamool Congress MPs raised the issue of deaths of Booth Level Officers (BLO), including the reported death of one more officer on Saturday. Mr. O’Brien, who was flanked by Pratima Mandal, Sajda Ahmed and Saket Gokhale, said they [BLO] are “not just a number but a human tragedy”.

Earlier, party leaders said that it told the poll body it had “blood on its hands” for the deaths due to the “completely unplanned, reckless and heartless” SIR.

‘Rebuttal given’

On Friday, a senior official of the Election Commission said that the EC had given a point-by-point rebuttal to the issues raised by the delegation.

He said the full bench requested them to give claims and objections after December 9 when the draft list is shared with them and not to interfere with the independent functioning of BLOs, EROs and DEOs who are State Government employees on deputation to election-related works.

The EC also said that the party should not try to influence or threaten the BLOs regarding dead, shifted and duplicate voters. It further said that the delegation was told that only Indian citizens are entitled to vote as per Article 326 of the Constitution of India, the official added.