EC–TMC Meeting Turns Contentious Amid Allegations and Counterclaims

PTI, April 8, 2026, New Delhi: A Trinamool Congress delegation's meeting with the Election Commission on Wednesday ended on an acrimonious note, with the leaders saying the Chief Election Commissioner asked them to "get lost" and the commission accusing them of "shouting".

A TMC delegation -- comprising its Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien, deputy leader Sagarika Ghose, MPs Saket Gokhale and Menaka Guruswamy -- met the full bench of the Election Commission as West Bengal goes to polls amid charges of disenfranchisement after the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and allegations of the poll body having a "tacit understanding" with the BJP.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, O'Brien said they handed over nine letters written by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, which the MP said have not been acknowledged.

They also apprised the Election Commission of specific instances showing certain poll officials' alleged links with the BJP, and demanded that they be transferred. "We gave him six examples of officials who are part of the election process and have links with the BJP," O'Brien said.

Among the examples cited was that of the Chief Electoral Officer being accompanied by a local BJP leader in Nandigram. A memorandum was submitted in this regard, he said.

"We asked the CEC how he can ensure the conduct of free and fair elections when such tainted officers are being appointed in Bengal. To this, his answer was get lost," said O'Brien.

"We told the CEC we would not listen to him because he does not allow his colleagues to speak. We have attended eight to nine meetings like this, where none other than the CEC speaks," O'Brien said.