A fresh political tussle between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee government may be in the offing as the Chief Election Commission (CEC) has recommended making the West Bengal Election Commission an independent body ahead of next year’s state Assembly elections.

Sources told India Today that directions have been issued to make the state election commission, which currently serves under the aegis of the state Home Ministry, an independent body. A recommendation letter has been issued to the West Bengal chief secretary in this regard.

It is believed that the poll panel has taken the initiative to ensure that the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state does not depend on the state government before the 2026 elections. It has also directed the Chief Secretary to declare the CEO’s office as an independent office soon.

Currently, the CEO’s office is under the state’s Home Department. If it becomes independent, the CEO’s office will no longer be dependent on the state financially and in terms of appointment of election personnel.

The development assumes even greater significance against the backdrop of the ongoing political showdown between the Centre and INDIA bloc parties and states ruled by them over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, months ahead of state elections.

This comes a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that SIR would not be allowed to be implemented in Bengal. She even said that if needed, the Election Commission would be gheraoed.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief made the announcement at the Martyr’s Day rally on Monday. The Trinamool is running a campaign against the Election Commission’s SIR exercise and is constantly opposing it.

CENTRE VS OPPOSITION OVER BIHAR SIR

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar remains a flashpoint between the Election Commission of India and the Opposition.

While the poll body assured the Supreme Court that the citizenship of a person would not be cancelled if he or she is found ineligible for registration in the roll revision, Opposition leaders raised strong objections, alleging that the revision could be misused to omit the names of minority, Dalit and Opposition-leaning voters ahead of the key assembly polls.

The Trinamool Congress, along with the RJD, claimed the drive could lead to mass deletions of voters from marginalised communities, especially in rural and minority-dominated regions.

In response, the central government said that the SIR is a routine process and follows the guidelines set by the Election Commission.

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