TMC had appealed to allow BLA to participate in the hearing sessions
New Delhi. The dispute between the Election Commission and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal has intensified. This matter is now on the verge of reaching the court. The Election Commission has rejected TMC’s demand to allow the party’s BLAs to participate in the hearing sessions of claims and objections on the draft voter list.
The first phase of the three-phase SIR process has been completed in the state. After door-to-door survey, form distribution, form filling and digital entry, the draft voter list has been released. Now the second phase focuses on the hearing of claims and objections, which will continue till January 15, 2026. According to Election Commission sources, if TMC’s demand was accepted, then similar demands of all other recognized political parties would also have to be accepted.
This would have seen at least 11 additional persons present at the hearing, including the claimant, his assistants and BLAs from at least eight parties. Apart from the Electoral Registration Officer, Assistant ERO, Micro Observer, the voter and his companions would also be there. ECI sources say that it would have been impossible to conduct the hearing process in such a crowd and different agents would have given their own interpretations, leading to chaos. The recognized state level parties in West Bengal are TMC and Forward Bloc, while the national parties are BJP, Congress, CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party, BSP and NPP.
On the commission’s refusal, TMC alleged that it was deliberate as other parties, especially BJP, do not have enough BLAs for all the hearing tables. TMC said that BJP does not even have workers capable of fielding candidates. Sources in the Commission clarified that they cannot take decisions based on the perceived strength or weakness of any party. Same rules have to be applied for all the parties, which are practical and useful. The Election Commission said that the hearing consists of examination of documents and question-answers, in which BLA has no political role. Therefore, it is logical to not allow BLA of all parties, so that the process is completed without any hindrance. TMC is calling this decision of the Commission an issue of transparency of the voter list before the 2026 assembly elections, whereas the Commission considers it a necessary step for the smoothness of the process.
