Big Setback for TMC as SC Refuses to Intervene in Bengal Counting Staff Row, Calls Party's Apprehensions 'Misplaced'

New Delhi: On Friday, the Supreme Court refused to issue any order regarding a request made by the All India Trinamool Congress that contested the use of only Central government and PSU employees as supervisors for vote counting in the forthcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, after the Election Commission confirmed to the court that its directive would be fully enforced.

A special bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi was considering the petition submitted by the Trinamool Congress opposing a prior Calcutta High Court ruling that dismissed its challenge to the Election Commission's directive.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the TMC alongside senior advocate Meenakshi Arora, challenged the Election Commission’s decision to use Central government employees for the counting procedure.

“EC claims it has concerns of misconduct, but what is the source of this,” Sibal stated to the bench, while opposing the use of central staff for overseeing vote counting. Sibal also stated that the petitioner became aware of the Election Commission’s circular, sent to District Electoral Officers on April 13, only on April 29

The high court rejected the AITC’s petition on Thursday, stating that there was no wrongdoing in the election commission's choice to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, rather than state government personnel.

On Friday, the AITC filed an urgent appeal with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, asking for a bench to be formed on Saturday since the vote counting in West Bengal is set for May 4. Voting for the 294-member Assembly took place in two phases on April 23 and April 29.

A panel of judges PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi will consider the petition submitted by lawyer Sanchit Garga against the ECI, the West Bengal chief electoral officer (CEO), and the state additional CEO who issued the contested order on April 13. Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, along with other senior lawyers, is anticipated to present the case to the Supreme Court

Meanwhile, 15 polling stations across the Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour constituencies in the South 24 Parganas district started voting early on Saturday. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had ordered repolling following certain irregularities.

Re-polling began today at 11 polling booths in Magrahat Paschim Assembly constituency and four booths in the Diamond Harbour constituency in South 24 Parganas district amid heavy security deployment. Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have been deployed near the polling booth to prevent any disruptions during the voting process.

The re-polling comes after the BJP's West Bengal co-incharge, Amit Malviya, alleged that voters were prevented from choosing the party candidate at several polling booths in Falta under the Diamond Harbour constituency during phase two of the Assembly elections in the state.

The second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections witnessed a record high voter turnout of 92.67 per cent in 142 constituencies.