West Bengal CM writes to CEC asking whether initiatives taken are at the behest of a political party

Raising questions on certain initiatives issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (November 24, 2025) wrote another letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and asked whether such measures were undertaken at “the behest of a political party to serve vested interests”.

Ms. Banerjee’s letter raised objections on two crucial points — Request for Proposal (RfP) raised by the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office for hiring data entry operators and software developers for a period of one year and proposal to set up polling stations inside private housing complexes.

“When district offices already have a substantial number of competent professionals performing such functions, what necessitates the CEO’s initiative to outsource the same work through an external agency for a full year?” the Chief Minister asked.

A few days ago, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari had pointed out that EC directive is clear that contractual staff cannot be involved in data entry works for the ongoing SIR.

In the letter, Ms. Banerjee wrote: “Why, then, is the CEO’s office assuming this role on behalf of field offices? What substantive difference is expected in the service conditions or contractual obligations between those already engaged and those to be hired through the proposed agency? Is this exercise being undertaken at the behest of a political party to serve vested interests?” The timing and manner of this RfP certainly raise legitimate doubts, she added.

This is the second letter addressed by the Trinamool Congress chairperson to the CEC. In her letter dated November 20, Ms. Banerjee had urged Mr. Kumar to halt the SIR pointing out that the human cost of managing the exercise has turned unbearable.

The second issue which the Chief Minister raised in the letter to the CEC was the proposal to set up polling stations inside private housing complexes.

Calling the move deeply problematic, Ms. Banerjee said that polling booths must remain located in government or semi-government institutions, preferably within a 2 km radius, to ensure accessibility and neutrality.

“Why is such a move being contemplated at all? Again, is this being done under pressure from a political party to advance their partisan interests? Why? Why? Why?” the Chief Minister repeatedly asked.

There are about 80,000 polling booths in the State and the EC is in the process of adding another 14,000 polling booths before the 2026 State Assembly polls.

Stating that implications of such a decision would have severe impact on the fairness of the electoral process, Ms. Banerjee urged the CEC “to examine these issues with utmost seriousness, impartiality, and transparency”.

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday (November 24, 2025) said his party workers should target 100% submission of enumeration forms to the Election Commission. The forms have been distributed by the EC to voters in West Bengal during the ongoing SIR. According to the CEO’s office, about 99% of enumeration forms have been distributed across the State.

In a virtual meeting with about 25,000 party leaders, the Trinamool leader said the party should not repeat the mistakes committed by the Opposition parties in the neighbouring State and submission of electoral forms should be their focus.