Supreme Court Rejects TMC's Challenge on Counting Staff Deployment Ahead of West Bengal Elections

TMC Faces Legal Setback Before West Bengal Elections

In a significant legal blow to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Supreme Court has dismissed the party's petition challenging the deployment of central government employees during the counting process. The court affirmed the validity of the Election Commission's (EC) circular, stating that there was no need for intervention.

Supreme Court's Ruling

The Supreme Court strongly backed the Election Commission's stance, asserting, "The EC can only select counting staff from a single pool (central government), thus the circular cannot be deemed incorrect." The bench also noted the Election Commission's assurance that its circular dated April 13 would be strictly adhered to.

Election Commission's Assurance

During the hearing, the Election Commission informed the court that:

• The circular from April 13 will be fully implemented.


• The Returning Officer, who is a state government employee, will maintain overall control.


• The concerns raised by TMC regarding bias are unfounded.

Why Did TMC Approach the Court?

TMC expressed concerns that:

• According to the EC's directive, at least one central government official must be present at each counting table.


• This could increase the presence of staff controlled by the central government.


• Such a situation might compromise the fairness of the counting process.

After not receiving relief from the Calcutta High Court on Thursday, TMC swiftly approached the Supreme Court the following day. The party requested an urgent hearing from Chief Justice Suryakant, highlighting that vote counting in West Bengal is scheduled for Monday. TMC argued that the EC's directive could skew the counting process in favor of one side. They questioned the rationale behind implementing such a rule without clear justification. The party emphasized that the requirement for at least one official—whether a supervisor or assistant—from the central government or a central public sector unit (PSU) at each counting table raises significant concerns.

According to TMC, this move would clearly alter the composition of staff at counting centers, increasing the number of officials linked to the central government. The party stated that this raises concerns about fairness and could impact equal opportunities among political parties, especially since their main rival, the BJP, is in power at the center. TMC also pointed out that under the current rules in the 2023 handbook for counting agents, micro-observers are already appointed at each table, typically from central services. They argued that adding more central government employees as supervisors or assistants creates an unnecessary layer that could potentially lead to issues.