Bengal EC Row: TMC Minister Accuses CEC Gyanesh Kumar of Shouting, Disrespecting Women
TMC minister Chandrima Bhattacharya alleges the CEC shouted at her during the voter deletion discussion.
A sharp exchange marked a meeting between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and a Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation in Kolkata on March 9, 2026, as West Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of shouting at her, disrespecting women, and using an insulting tone during discussions on voter deletions under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Bhattacharya, visibly upset after the closed-door interaction, claimed the CEC raised his voice and told her, "Don't shout," when she highlighted concerns over large-scale voter name removals from electoral rolls.
The TMC delegation, which included senior leaders Firhad Hakim and former Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, met the Election Commission team to press demands for halting the SIR process and restoring deleted names ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. Bhattacharya alleged that CEC Gyanesh Kumar dominated the conversation, became offended upon mention of the party’s Supreme Court challenge to the SIR, and adopted a threatening demeanour not only toward the delegation but also toward state bureaucracy. She described the CEC’s response as disrespectful, particularly toward women participants, and said he accused the TMC side of shouting despite initiating the raised tone himself.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose sit-in protest or dharna in central Kolkata over the same voter deletion issue entered its fourth consecutive day on March 9, escalated her criticism of the Election Commission. Banerjee accused the CEC of threatening state officials and adopting an aggressive posture, framing the confrontation as part of a broader pattern of bias against her government and party. The dharna, staged near a key administrative area, has drawn significant attention and serves to amplify the TMC's narrative of electoral irregularities targeting opposition strongholds.
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Election Commission sources present at the meeting strongly denied Bhattacharya’s allegations, asserting that the CEC maintained a professional and composed approach throughout. According to these sources, it was the TMC minister who spoke in a raised voice during the exchange, prompting the CEC to calmly request that participants refrain from shouting to facilitate constructive dialogue. The officials emphasized that the discussion remained focused on procedural aspects of the SIR and voter list verification, with no personal insults or gender-based disrespect involved.
The SIR exercise, aimed at intensive verification and updating of electoral rolls, has become a major flashpoint in West Bengal politics. TMC claims the deletions disproportionately affect genuine voters in its support bases, potentially influencing election outcomes, while the Election Commission maintains the process is impartial, transparent, and necessary to eliminate bogus or ineligible entries. The Supreme Court petition filed by TMC challenging certain aspects of the SIR remains pending, adding legal weight to the ongoing dispute.
As West Bengal approaches the Assembly election announcement, the public spat between the state government and the Election Commission underscores deepening tensions over electoral integrity and administrative conduct. With Mamata Banerjee’s protest continuing and both sides sticking to their versions of the Kolkata meeting, the episode is likely to fuel further political rhetoric and scrutiny of the poll panel’s role in the state in the coming weeks.
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