TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Raises Concerns with Election Commission

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee recently confronted the Election Commission, questioning their decisions regarding the appointment of micro-observers in Bengal. He highlighted discrepancies in correction rates compared to other states and criticized the Commission for inadequate responses to his inquiries. Banerjee also raised concerns about the handling of Rohingya and Bangladeshi issues, demanding transparency regarding individuals removed from electoral lists. His remarks reflect ongoing tensions between state leadership and electoral authorities, particularly regarding the integrity of the electoral process in Bengal. This situation raises significant questions about the fairness and transparency of upcoming elections.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 31, 2025, 17:04 IST

TMC's Abhishek Banerjee Questions Election Commission

On Wednesday, Abhishek Banerjee, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), met with the full bench of the Election Commission, accompanied by nine other MPs. Following the meeting, he held a press conference.

Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the Commission failed to adequately address the five questions he raised. One of his queries pertained to the appointment of micro-observers in Bengal, questioning why this was done when the State Information Report (SIR) had excluded the fewest names from the list.

He presented statistics indicating that the correction rate in Tamil Nadu stands at 12.57%, in Chhattisgarh at 8.76%, in Gujarat at 9.95%, and in Kerala at 6.65%. In contrast, Bengal's correction rate is only 5%. He questioned why such appointments were made in Bengal when no other states had similar measures.

Concerns Over Observer Appointments

According to Banerjee, Bengal is the only state where selective micro-observers and district observers have been appointed. The Commission claimed a lack of available officials.

He pointed out that many Aero machines are lying unused and could have been rented out. However, Banerjee noted that the Commission did not provide a satisfactory answer to this issue.

He remarked that the Chief Election Commissioner seems unaware of how the SIR is functioning in Bengal, suggesting that there may be external influences at play. During the meeting, Banerjee alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner attempted to speak to him in a condescending manner, to which he responded firmly, asserting that they are elected representatives, not subordinates.

Rohingya and Bangladeshi Issues Raised

Banerjee also addressed the issues concerning Rohingya and Bangladeshi individuals, demanding the release of a list of 5.8 million people whose names have been removed, specifying how many are Bangladeshi and how many are Rohingya.

While micro-observers play a crucial role in the electoral process, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns about their appointments, alleging that the observers are from other states and lack knowledge about the local context. She questioned how these observers could operate impartially, although the Commission dismissed her claims.