Political parties in West Bengal react to the Election Commission's reshuffle of senior administrative and police officials ahead of upcoming elections, with TMC criticising the move and BJP and CPI(M) welcoming it.
'To attribute motives to the individual election commissioner or the Election Commission as a group is very unfair.'
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's interim decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress' name and party symbol. The EC had allotted separate names and symbols to two rival TMC factions ahead of upcoming bypolls, a move Banerjee has strongly criticised as a "black day" for democracy.
The Supreme Court has questioned the Election Commission's decision to allot the Shiv Sena's bow-and-arrow symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction, asking if the possibility of denying the symbol to both factions was adequately considered. The court also raised concerns about using legislative majority as a test while disqualification proceedings against MLAs were pending. The Shinde faction argued for the validity of the legislative majority test, citing significant vote share and legal precedents.
A rebel Trinamool Congress faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has named candidates for two assembly bypolls in West Bengal, directly challenging the Mamata Banerjee-led camp. This move escalates the internal party battle, particularly over the 'twin flowers' symbol, which both factions claim. The Election Commission is currently reviewing the dispute, and the bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar will serve as a crucial electoral test for both sides.
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction has announced Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury as its candidates for the upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly by-elections in West Bengal. This announcement comes amidst a significant split within the TMC, with a rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee also vying for control of the party's name and symbol. The Election Commission is currently deliberating on the claims of both factions, a decision that will critically impact the by-polls scheduled for October 6.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing pleas challenging the Maharashtra Speaker's decision regarding the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs and the Election Commission's recognition of the Shinde faction as the "real" Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing the Shinde camp, argued that the EC has jurisdiction under Article 324 to examine a party's democratic character and organisational structure, especially when the Thackeray faction's constitution was not registered with the poll panel. He emphasised that the Shinde faction's case is based on a split within the political party, not just its legislative wing, citing cadre discontent. The hearing remains inconclusive.
The Supreme Court has questioned the reliability of legislative majority as the sole determinant for political party ownership, especially when disqualification proceedings are pending against the very legislators forming that majority. This query arose during arguments concerning the Shiv Sena faction dispute between Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction has told the Supreme Court that the Election Commission's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led unit as the "real Shiv Sena" and grant it the 'bow-and-arrow' symbol was unlawful. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that a split in a legislature party cannot, by itself, amount to a split in the political party, challenging the very basis of the poll panel's jurisdiction and its disregard for the party's 2018 constitution.
The Election Commission has issued an interim order preventing rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, from using the party name and its "Flowers and Grass" symbol during the upcoming West Bengal by-elections. Both groups have been directed to submit preferred names and symbols by Friday morning for recognition and allotment for the bypolls, as the EC undertakes a substantive determination of the party dispute.
The Supreme Court is deliberating whether a split in the Shiv Sena could originate in the legislature party and then extend to the broader organisation and primary membership, as it hears pleas from the Uddhav Thackeray faction challenging the Election Commission's recognition of the Eknath Shinde-led faction.
Mamata Banerjee's faction of the Trinamool Congress announced support for the Congress candidate in the Nandigram assembly bypoll after its own candidate withdrew. This decision comes amidst a bitter dispute with the Election Commission over the freezing of TMC's traditional symbol and name, which Banerjee termed "arbitrary" and accused the BJP of trying to destroy opposition parties.
The Supreme Court, hearing pleas on the Shiv Sena split, observed that a political party retains control over its legislature wing and its valid decisions must prevail, but also advocated for granting 'elbow room' to elected representatives for political decisions if a majority 'genuinely disagree' with party directions.
The Supreme Court has questioned the amended constitution of the Shiv Sena, observing that it appeared to have made the party 'virtually a one-person structure' and raising concerns about democratic functioning within political parties.
Congress's Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan has been sent to judicial custody until October 3 on charges dating back 19 years, effectively ending his campaign for the October 6 by-election.
Mamata Banerjee, who founded the Trinamool Congress through an act of rebellion against the Congress, now faces a similar internal revolt that threatens the very identity of her party. The Election Commission's interim decision to withhold the TMC name and symbol for the upcoming bypolls highlights a deeper struggle for political inheritance. This situation, unprecedented for the party, forces both Mamata's loyalists and rebels to seek electoral recognition without their established identity, marking a significant challenge to her long-standing dominance.
Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has strongly criticised the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating it is 'focussed more on exclusion' and has 'played havoc with democracy' by disturbing free and fair elections.
Former Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale has alleged that the Election Commission refused to disclose details of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's official visits and the expenditure incurred from public funds, citing 'personal information' under the Right to Information Act.
A rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has formally staked claim to the party's name and symbol before the Election Commission, alleging widespread support and opposing the current leadership's "dynastic politics." The main TMC leadership has strongly criticised the Election Commission for granting an audience to expelled members, accusing the BJP of influencing the poll body.
The battle for the Trinamool Congress' name and election symbol is spilling into the Nandigram bypoll, with the rebel faction asking party supremo Mamata Banerjee to contest from there, promising not to field a candidate against her.
The BJP has announced former IAS officer Debashish Sharma as its candidate for the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll in Assam. Sharma, who recently took voluntary retirement as Nagaon District Commissioner, joined the BJP and secured the party ticket within days. The by-election is scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9. The seat was previously held by Pradyut Bordoloi of Congress, who later joined BJP. A complaint has been filed against Sharma regarding his tenure as DC.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister's faction has announced support for the Congress candidate in the Nandigram assembly bypoll, marking a significant shift in state politics. This move comes amidst an internal party dispute within the Trinamool Congress and is seen as an attempt to consolidate anti-BJP votes and strengthen the INDIA bloc, despite a history of acrimonious rivalry between the two parties.
Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, Mamata Banerjee's party's candidate for the Rejinagar by-election, initially announced his withdrawal from the contest due to harassment of workers and symbol unfamiliarity, but retracted his statement within hours after intervention from the party's top leadership and Mamata Banerjee herself, confirming he will now contest the October 6 poll.
Senior TMC leaders and newly-elected MLAs met at Mamata Banerjee's residence to discuss strategy and allocation of responsibilities following the party's performance in the West Bengal assembly elections.
The Supreme Court has emphasised the need for timely investigations and conclusions of criminal cases involving illicit money in elections. Observing that black money compromises democracy and the rule of law, the court issued several directives, including reporting seizures to competent authorities within 24 hours, completing investigations within a year, and submitting quarterly status reports to the Election Commission. The ruling also mandates High Courts to designate special courts for expeditious disposal of cases against candidates and requires High Court approval for withdrawing cases.
Twenty-three political parties and an Independent MP have jointly written to Chief Justice Surya Kant regarding the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and other election-related issues, a move spearheaded by the INDIA bloc.
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in all 285 polling booths of the Falta assembly constituency in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on May 21, following reports of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the second phase of the assembly elections.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has approved significant constitutional changes to align with the National Sports Governance Act (NSGA), allowing for longer tenures for office-bearers and revising age limits. These amendments, which have received preliminary approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), also impact the structure of the Executive Council and set the stage for upcoming elections, including those for the Athletes' Commission.
The BJP has announced Hasirani Rath, mother of slain former aide to Suvendu Adhikari, as its candidate for the Nandigram bypoll, aiming for an emotive campaign. The party also named Sakharav Sarkar for the Rejinagar seat. These bypolls are set against a backdrop of multi-cornered contests and internal TMC disputes, with voting scheduled for October 6.
The Calcutta High Court has appointed a retired judge as a special officer to manage the day-to-day expenses of the Mamata Banerjee-aligned Trinamool Congress (TMC) from three debit-frozen bank accounts. The accounts were frozen following a complaint by a rival TMC faction alleging they held proceeds of crime. The court allowed transactions for party expenses and legal costs, noting that the initial freezing lacked specific material basis and that the complainant had previously benefited from these accounts.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld the Election Commission's documentation framework for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, affirming the commission's authority and stating that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship.
The commission, however, has not specified how many among these new entrants are first-time voters who have just turned 18, nor has it given a detailed gender break up of these voters.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the Election Commission's (EC) determination as to which group constitutes the political party should come after a decision on the disqualification proceedings against the MLAs, who have deserted their camp.
The Calcutta High Court dismissed a plea challenging the Election Commission's directive to deploy central government and PSU employees for vote counting in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has approved significant constitutional changes to align with the National Sports Governance Act (NSGA).
The Election Commission is considering holding the West Bengal assembly elections in two phases to mitigate potential poll-related violence, according to a senior official.
The Congress party has formally appealed to the Election Commission, demanding an immediate reversal of the rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls, labelling the decision as 'egregious' and a 'subversion of democracy'.
A former principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Bhagwandev Israni, has claimed that Congress nominee Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha poll nomination was wrongly rejected, arguing she was not required to disclose information as no FIR or chargesheet had been filed against her.
The Supreme Court has expressed strong displeasure over statements made by politicians regarding the Shiv Sena symbol row case, cautioning them about making irresponsible comments.
