Trinamool Congress has urged the Election Commission of India to promptly replace the new returning officer assigned to the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata. This constituency is where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, representing Trinamool Congress, is contesting against Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and the BJP candidate. The Election Commission recently replaced 74 returning officers in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming two-phase polls next month. One of these replacements was for Bhabanipur, with Surajit Roy appointed as the new Returning Officer, a move contested by Trinamool Congress.
The Trinamool Congress has raised objections to Surajit Roy’s appointment, citing his close association with the Leader of Opposition and expressing concerns about potential irregularities under his role as the Returning Officer. Tensions between the state government and the Election Commission have escalated due to the mass transfer, replacement, and deputation of bureaucrats and police officers from West Bengal to other states. The ruling party has accused the Election Commission of orchestrating these actions at the behest of the Union government and the BJP.
Amidst these developments, a crucial hearing on a public interest litigation challenging the transfers is scheduled at a division bench of the Calcutta High Court. Notably, Suvendu Adhikari, besides contesting from Bhabanipur, is also running in Nandigram in East Midnapore, where he previously served as a legislator for two terms, first with Trinamool Congress and later with the BJP. The upcoming West Bengal polls are set to take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, covering a total of 294 Assembly constituencies.
