Former West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee intensified her attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commission IT chief Seema Khanna in Delhi on Thursday, alleging that the electoral process had been “hijacked” and that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was used to benefit the BJP. The allegations come amid a wider Opposition campaign against the Election Commission over voter-list revisions.
Addressing a press conference after the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, Banerjee alleged that Kumar and Khanna had played a role in manipulating the election process. “Seema Khanna, Vanish Kumar (Gyanesh Kumar) have hijacked the entire electoral process,” she said.
Banerjee also alleged that irregularities began during counting. “From two, three rounds on counting day, there was manipulation starting with postal ballots. Then the media was managed and everyone was told that the BJP was winning,” she claimed. She further questioned whether the officials should not resign and face punishment.
Mamata alleges large-scale voter deletions
The TMC chief repeated her allegation that the SIR exercise resulted in large-scale deletions from electoral rolls in West Bengal. She claimed that millions of names were either removed or placed under adjudication and alleged that the process disproportionately affected constituencies where her party had performed well.
Banerjee claimed that 58 lakh voters were initially excluded under the category of “logical discrepancies” and alleged that even after legal proceedings and the appointment of judicial officers, many names had not been restored.
She also alleged that multiple Form 6 applications had been submitted in bulk and questioned the centralisation of electoral-roll data. “Mastermind is BJP,” Banerjee said while alleging that the SIR exercise had been conducted according to a plan to benefit the ruling party.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that its actions are governed by law and has described differences within the poll panel as part of institutional deliberations. The Commission has also ordered a review of its voter-roll software following reports about internal concerns over changes to the system.
‘Voting is our constitutional right’
Banerjee also accused the Election Commission of undermining voters’ democratic rights and reiterated her demand for action against Gyanesh Kumar.
Her remarks came a day after the INDIA bloc finalised a joint campaign against alleged electoral irregularities. The Opposition grouping has announced “Save Democracy” marches from October 2 to 8, a march by MPs to the Election Commission on October 6 and a series of rallies across the country.
At the joint Opposition briefing, Banerjee called the controversy a “big scam” and demanded Kumar’s removal. Other INDIA bloc leaders also backed a campaign seeking changes in the electoral process, including a return to ballot-paper voting.
Rival TMC faction seeks entry into INDIA bloc
The political developments have also coincided with an emerging dispute over the future alignment of a rival TMC faction.
The faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, which is operating under the name Democratic Trinamool Congress, has expressed an interest in joining the INDIA bloc but has reportedly set a condition that Mamata Banerjee should not be part of the alliance. According to The Wall, the faction has conveyed this position as part of discussions over its possible association with the Opposition grouping.
The development comes after the Election Commission temporarily froze the original All India Trinamool Congress name and the party’s traditional symbol amid the dispute between rival factions. For the October 6 bypolls, Mamata Banerjee’s faction was allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and a football-player symbol, while the rival faction was allotted Democratic Trinamool Congress and an envelope symbol.
Banerjee has challenged the Election Commission’s interim order in the Supreme Court.
The latest developments come as the INDIA bloc attempts to coordinate its response to the SIR controversy. Nineteen Opposition parties participated in the latest meeting, where leaders agreed on a joint programme of rallies and protests and reiterated demands for action against the Election Commission.
For now, the competing political positions leave the Opposition alliance facing both a common campaign against the Election Commission and a separate question over how rival TMC factions may position themselves within the INDIA bloc.
