West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised a fresh set of objections with the Election Commission of India (ECI), warning that the poll body’s reported proposal to establish voting booths inside private residential complexes could undermine electoral fairness.
In her letter, Banerjee said the idea was “deeply problematic,” arguing that private buildings are generally avoided during elections because they “compromise fairness, violate established norms, and create discriminatory distinctions between privileged residents and the general public – the haves and have-nots.”
She further questioned whether the Commission was acting “under pressure from a political party to advance their partisan interests?”
‘Dignity and Neutrality Must Not Be Compromised’
Urging the ECI to address the matter with “utmost seriousness, impartiality, and transparency,” the chief minister said the potential consequences for electoral integrity were significant.
“It is essential that the dignity, neutrality, and credibility of the Commission remain above reproach and are not compromised under any circumstances,” she wrote.
TMC–BJP Clash Escalates Over SIR Exercise
The exchange comes against the backdrop of an intensifying political battle between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP over the ongoing Special Identity Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal.
Banerjee has previously described the SIR process as “unplanned, chaotic and dangerous” in another communication to the Chief Election Commissioner.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, meanwhile, accused the chief minister of attempting to shield her “vote bank of ineligible and illegal elements.”
BJP Hits Back
Responding to Mamata’s remarks in her letter to the CEC, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi says, “In West Bengal, it is even more serious… Zamirul Islam Mulla, a booth-level agent of the Trinamool Congress, is accused of directly threatening a booth-level officer over the phone.”
#WATCH | Delhi | BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi says, “In West Bengal, it is even more serious… Zamirul Islam Mulla, a booth-level agent of the Trinamool Congress, is accused of directly threatening a booth-level officer over the phone… We want to ask the nation why this situation… pic.twitter.com/XlJD8oKegN
— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2025
“We want to ask the nation why this situation is arising. Is this situation not arising because the LoP at the Centre himself directly makes baseless and unfounded allegations about the SIR? The CM of West Bengal makes baseless allegations and indirect provocative statements, and both of these individuals hold constitutional positions. One is the Leader of the Opposition, and the other is the Chief Minister of the state. Making such statements clearly demonstrates that if anyone is the biggest obstacle to the Constitution’s efforts to ensure transparent elections, it is the parties of the INDIA Alliance… This issue isn’t just about elections. It’s also about India’s security and identity,” he further added.