The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging political bias among election officials in West Bengal, including Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal, in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The letter raises concerns over the impartiality of the state’s electoral administration ahead of upcoming polls.

The complaint, signed by four TMC Rajya Sabha members — Derek O’Brien, Sagarika Ghose, Menaka Guruswami, and Saket Gokhale — accuses CEO Agarwal of compromising neutrality by being accompanied by a local BJP leader during an official visit to Nandigram in East Midnapore district. The BJP candidate in Nandigram is the current Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.

The TMC letter specifically mentions Tapan Kumar Mahapatra, alleging that he moved alongside the CEO in a manner “inconsistent with the independence expected of election administration.” The party expressed concerns that such proximity undermines the sanctity and impartiality of the electoral process.

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Another officer, Surajit Roy, was also cited in the letter. The TMC claims photographic evidence shows Roy in close association with Suvendu Adhikari, and notes that he was previously appointed as the returning officer for the Nandigram Assembly constituency, raising questions about neutrality.

The letter further lists other Election Commission-appointed poll officers allegedly linked with BJP leaders, asserting that these associations, whether due to prior roles or political ties, create a “reasonable apprehension” about the fairness of the electoral process. It stresses that such instances reflect a broader pattern that could compromise both the perception and reality of impartial election management.

Concluding the letter, the TMC urged the Election Commission of India to take immediate action to ensure that all electoral officers and observers are beyond reproach, both in fact and perception, emphasizing the need for transparent and impartial administration in West Bengal’s elections.

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