Kolkata, Sep 24 Senior leader of Mamata Banerjee-faction TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday stepped up his attack on the EC, sharing screenshots purportedly from a WhatsApp group of poll observers and alleging that they raised questions about a “conspiracy” to delete 30 lakh names from electoral rolls.
Abhishek Banerjee directly targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and questioned the functioning of the poll panel amid a raging political controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
“This screenshot from a WhatsApp group of observers goes back to April. It raises serious questions about an alleged conspiracy to delete 30 lakh names from the electoral rolls. This cannot be brushed aside. It cannot be buried. And it cannot be answered with silence,” Abhishek Banerjee posted on X.
Gyanesh Kumar has serious questions to answer before the people of this country, the Diamond Harbour MP said.
“India is watching. India is asking questions. And India will demand answers,” he said.
In the two purported screenshots shared, one member of the observers’ group claimed that the EC’s direction to them on a single issue differed from state to state.
The screenshots have not been independently verified, and their authenticity and full context could not be immediately established by PTI.
The post came amid a newspaper report of differences within the three-member Election Commission over several decisions and instructions relating to electoral-roll revision, including deletion and addition of names, changes in forms for new voters, access to voter data and appeals concerning restoration of names in West Bengal.
The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions and orders concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that, they said, were taken without their knowledge.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected suggestions of a split within the poll panel, maintaining that decisions relating to the SIR exercise were taken unanimously and that differences or observations during institutional deliberations are normal.
Banerjee alleged that the SIR process had been used to selectively remove the names of genuine voters in West Bengal, Haryana and Bihar. He has also demanded the immediate arrest of Kumar and an independent probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
The TMC leader’s attack follows his allegations on Wednesday that around 30 lakh voters had been removed from the electoral rolls to benefit a particular political party.
“The allegations we raised earlier have today been echoed by the other Election Commissioners as well. Just as the names of 30 lakh people were deleted from the voter list to benefit one political party, the same was done in Haryana and Bihar,” Banerjee had alleged.
On Wednesday, he had questioned the appointment process of election commissioners, alleging that institutions holding constitutional positions were being used to serve political interests.
“Those who were placed in constitutional posts and used these institutions to serve their political interests will all have to be behind bars in the days to come,” he said.
“If a person preferred and nominated by the Prime Minister occupies that post, then it is obvious that he will work for the Prime Minister and BJP leaders,” Banerjee said, referring to the Election Commission.
The TMC leader further alleged that the SIR exercise had resulted in legitimate voters being removed from the electoral rolls and demanded that the process be subjected to independent scrutiny.
His remarks came a day after former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also demanded the arrest and criminal prosecution of the CEC over the electoral-roll controversy.
She has sought restoration of the earlier voter lists and fresh elections in constituencies where, according to her allegations, voters were prevented from exercising their franchise.
The issue has become a major political flashpoint in West Bengal after the 2026 Assembly elections, with the TMC repeatedly attributing its electoral setback, in part, to alleged irregularities in the voter rolls and the SIR exercise. The BJP has rejected such allegations.
Abhishek Banerjee also reiterated his broader political attack on the BJP and constitutional institutions, alleging that attempts had been made to target West Bengal politically and administratively.
“The curse of Bengal has struck them. They had deployed all their might to take over Bengal, but today the BJP’s condition across India has become pathetic,” he said.
(PTI News)
