SIR in Bengal: TMC, BJP move ECI accusing each other of threatening BLOs

Meanwhile, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee are set to hit the streets with a rally against SIR on November 4. On the same day the BLOs are scheduled to start their house-to-house survey.

The TMC lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal (WBCEO) against Suvendu Adhikari, BJP legislator and leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, for allegedly intimidating BLOs, who are state government officials.

“On a recent occasion, during an interaction with the press, Suvendu Adhikari openly threatened BLOs with imprisonment if they didn’t follow instructions. In that address he explicitly invoked the detention of BLOs in Bihar and warned BLOs in West Bengal saying that ‘you will have to spend time in jail’ and that ‘we will provide information and documents to ensure that you go to jail. These remarks have been widely reported,” The TMC stated in its letter addressed to the WBCEO.

The TMC requested the WBCEOs office to take cognizance and direct the police to register a FIR against Adhikari, to issue a protective directive which would act as a safeguard for BLOs from such political intimidation and to issue a directive to all political parties that attempts to intimidate election officials will invite criminal sanctions.

The BJP too sent a letter to the WBCEO against Girindranath Barman, chairman of the TMC in Cooch Behar district for his alleged remarks against BLOs. Barman had allegedly told party workers to tie up BLOs if the latter came without a complete voters’ list.

“BJP requests you to lodge a FIR against Barman for threatening a government employee while carrying out his duty. If strict action is not immediately initiated, such incidents of threats will keep on increasing and the possibility of physical attack cannot be ruled out,” stated the BJP’s letter.

On Monday the poll panel initiated the final training sessions for the BLOs in West Bengal before they could start the house-to-house enumeration from November 4. In the enumeration phase, which is scheduled to continue till December 4, BLOs will visit every house and distribute enumeration forms.

Several BLOs have flagged concerns over their safety during the house-to-house enumeration as threats for political leaders are pouring in every day.

“We have informed the WBCEOs office of our concerns. The biggest concern is safety. Demands for providing security by central forces were also made,” said a BLO who attended a session at Nazrul Mancha in south Kolkata.

“The BLOs have raised some issues. The ECI officials in New Delhi have been informed. We are trying to address them,” said a poll panel official in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, the TMC, which has been opposing the SIR while alleging that the BJP-led Centre was trying to introduce CAA and NRC in the guise of SIR, has decided to hit the streets on Tuesday.

“Gear up for a MAHA-MICHHIL! (Mega Rally). Our Hon’ble Chairperson Smt @MamataOfficial and our Hon’ble National General Secretary Shri @abhishekaitc will hit the streets on 4th November 2025, FIGHTING once again for the RIGHTS OF PEOPLE. The so-called Special Intensive Revision is actually SILENT INVISIBLE RIGGING. We will leave NO STONE UNTURNED to ensure that ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS are included and not left behind in this process. For our people, we will give our all!” the TMC wrote on X on Saturday.

The BJP, however, hit back saying that the TMC was trying to divert the attention of the citizens from the real issues.

“The TMC is trying to divert the attention of the people from the real issues of the state – deteriorating law and order, rising crime against women, corruption, unemployment, people losing jobs because of corrupt TMC leaders among others. That’s why they are hitting the streets with the SIR issue,” Sukanta Majumdar, Union minister and BJP MP told the media.