2 hrs ago
Trinamool Seeks Urgent SIR Appeals Resolution Before Bengal Bypolls
The Trinamool Congress says some real voters were left off West Bengal's voter lists.
It says this happened because of small mistakes in names, translations, or birth dates.
The party wants election officials to decide these voters' appeals quickly.
It says some tribunals have already accepted appeals from excluded voters.
This matters because elections are coming soon in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
A rebel Trinamool group raised a different concern about the elections.
It alleged that police and local officials were intimidating its supporters and limiting campaign activities.
Both groups asked the Election Commission to help ensure a fair election.
Trinamool Congress MP Samirul Islam urged the Election Commission to resolve pending SIR appeals before West Bengal Assembly bypolls.
Islam claimed nearly lakhs of genuine voters were excluded over spelling, transliteration, and date-of-birth discrepancies.
He said tribunals were approving appeals, indicating that many excluded voters had been eligible.
Bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9.
A rebel Trinamool faction separately alleged intimidation, false cases, and restrictions on rallies and campaign transport.
- Who
- Trinamool Congress MP Samirul Islam and a rebel Trinamool Congress faction led by Assembly Opposition Leader Ritabrata Banerjee addressed the Election Commission of India.
- What
- They sought action on pending Special Intensive Revision appeals and measures to ensure free, fair, and peaceful Assembly bypolls.
- Where
- West Bengal, particularly the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies.
- When
- The appeals were reported on Wednesday; the bypolls are scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9.
- Why
- The main Trinamool Congress cited alleged wrongful voter exclusions, while the rebel faction cited alleged intimidation, false cases, and campaign restrictions.
Voter-Roll Concerns
Campaign-Environment Concerns
Main election concern
Voter-Roll Concerns
Samirul Islam said genuine voters were wrongly excluded during the SIR process and asked the Election Commission to resolve their appeals urgently.
Campaign-Environment Concerns
The rebel Trinamool faction said a partisan administration was creating intimidation and terror against its leaders and supporters.
Reported obstacles
Voter-Roll Concerns
The main Trinamool Congress attributed confusion to language barriers and officials' unfamiliarity with Bengali names and local context.
Campaign-Environment Concerns
The rebel faction alleged false police cases, unprocessed rally permissions, and pressure on transport associations not to provide vehicles.
Requested response
Voter-Roll Concerns
Islam asked the Election Commission to protect the voting rights of eligible citizens before the bypolls.
Campaign-Environment Concerns
The rebel faction sought a level playing field and strong action by election authorities to support a free, fair, and peaceful election.
Key facts
- Affected constituencies
- Nandigram and Rejinagar
- Polling date
- October 6
- Counting date
- October 9
- Electoral issue
- Pending appeals from the Special Intensive Revision exercise
- Alleged exclusion reasons
- Spelling variations, Bengali-English transliteration errors, and minor date-of-birth mismatches
- Main petitioner
- Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam
- Election authority addressed
- Election Commission of India
Quotes
Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel Trinamool Congress faction
Rebel TMC faction that appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner ahead of the bypolls
“A democratic process cannot be deemed fair unless the authorities establish a level playing field for all. We have received disturbing inputs that the ruling dispensation, aided and abetted by a partisan administration, has commenced creating a climate of intimidation and terrorisation against our leaders and supporters.”
thehansindia.com
“Many affected voters filed appeals that stayed pending for months, causing them to miss the 2026 Assembly Election entirely.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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