CEO’s New Drive to Add Excluded Voters Sparks Controversy in Bengal

The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal announced on Monday that a concerted campaign had begun across all 24 districts to reinstate voters who had been erroneously deleted from the electoral roll and to enrol fresh or first‑time voters.

The announcement triggered swift backlash from the Trinamool Congress, which labeled the move as a “last‑minute” attempt to correct a flawed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that, according to the party, was executed without adequate planning.

TMC officials argued that the timing – just days before the election – raised doubts about the impartiality of the election machinery. They warned that the campaign could be a covert strategy to hand over additional seats to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The CEO’s office countered that the objective is strictly procedural: to guarantee that no eligible citizen is denied the right to vote. The department has set up special verification camps and instructed residents to contact booth‑level officers, assistant electoral registration officers, or the respective district electoral officials for any grievances.

The controversy underscores growing tensions between the state’s dominant political party and the central election authority as the election date approaches.