Trinamool and BJP clashover Form 7 submission

Supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashed on Monday (January 19, 2026) in West Bengal over the submission of Form 7 for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Form 7 is an “application objecting to the inclusion of the name of another person; seeking deletion of own name; seeking deletion of any other person’s name from the electoral roll owing to the person’s death or because they moved”.

Clashes erupted in Murshidabad after BJP supporters attempted to submit a large number of Form 7 applications. Supporters of the Trinamool Congress were seen assaulting BJP workers and setting Form 7 applications on fire.

Police ‘were spectators’

BJP Murshidabad MLA, Gouri Sankar Ghosh, said that the district Trinamool Congress leadership was behind the attack on the party’s supporters at the sub-divisional office, and the police were mute spectators. Videos aired by local television news channels showed Trinamool Congress supporters throwing bricks at the vehicles of BJP supporters.

At Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman district, a fight broke out between TMC and BJP workers outside the sub-divisional administrator’s office. BJP workers had gone there to submit a bunch of Form 7 applications. Asansol BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul organised protests and blocked roads over police action against BJP supporters.

Ms. Paul said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has unleashed her party workers so that BJP workers are unable to submit Form 7 applications to raise objections about fake voters. “Our workers are being attacked. Police are detaining BJP workers. Documents are being torn. This is an attack on democracy,” the BJP leader said.

Earlier this month, Trinamool Congress supporters had attacked at least two offices of the Block Development Officer in the State over complaints that a large number of people were being called for SIR hearings.

A delegation of the West Bengal BJP met the State’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and called for the deadline for submission of Form 7 applications to be extended by at least a week. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said that the Trinamool Congress leadership is trying to vitiate the SIR in the State.

Mr. Bhattacharya said that Assembly elections will not be held if the SIR is not conducted properly. The BJP leader also alleged that prominent persons are being called for SIR hearings as a conspiracy to incite hatred among the people of the State against ECI and the BJP.