The Election Commission of India rejected allegations against the Chief Election Commissioner and the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer. The response followed police complaints linked to the deaths of two elderly voters during the Special Intensive Revision process.
The West Bengal CEO’s office said the allegations were baseless and pre-planned. It described them as an attempt to intimidate officials performing statutory duties for SIR 2026.
The Commission said the complaints were aimed at derailing the electoral process through pressure tactics. It added that such attempts would fail. It also said legal steps would be taken to identify those behind what it termed organised and fabricated complaints.
The poll body reiterated that the election machinery would continue to function strictly in the public interest.
In Purulia district, Kanai Majhi alleged that his 82-year-old father, Durjan Majhi, was under severe distress after receiving a hearing notice. He said his father’s name appeared in the physical 2002 West Bengal SIR rolls but was missing from the 2002 SIR list uploaded on the Commission’s website. Durjan Majhi died by suicide hours before his scheduled hearing.
In Howrah district, the son of 64-year-old Jamat Ali Sheikh made similar allegations. He said a hearing notice was issued despite his father being a valid voter. He claimed the notice caused mental distress and accused the Chief Election Commissioner and the state CEO of misuse of power.