A controversy has emerged in West Bengal as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has called upon the mother, brother, and brother’s wife of a Trinamool Congress legislator to address claims and objections on the draft voters’ list. This move has sparked debate as all three individuals were listed in the 2002 voters’ list, the last time the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was conducted in the state.
The legislator in question, Nabin Chandra Bag representing the Khandaghosh Assembly constituency in East Burdwan district, has alleged that the ECI’s summoning of his family members for a hearing was a deliberate act influenced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Bag expressed his belief that this action was intended to cause distress to him and his family, particularly pointing to the BJP’s involvement.
On the contrary, the BJP’s district leadership in East Burdwan has denied these accusations, suggesting that discrepancies in name spellings could be a reason for the summoning of voters. They criticized the Trinamool Congress legislator for what they perceive as an attempt to mislead the public, emphasizing the party’s commitment to ensuring the accuracy of voter lists.
Nabin Chandra Bag, a three-time legislator from Khandaghosh since 2011, switched from being a CPI(M) legislator to a Trinamool Congress candidate before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections. The upcoming hearing session on the draft voters’ list is scheduled to commence on Saturday, with the final voters’ list set to be released on February 14, 2026. Subsequently, the ECI will announce the polling dates for the crucial Assembly elections in the state.
