West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya on Friday publicly recommended that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third‑highest civilian award. Bhattacharya said the CEC’s actions secured a violence‑free Assembly election in the state and removed illegal Bangladeshi names from the voter roll, a move he described as a “cleansing” of the electorate.
Bhattacharya’s praise for a peaceful poll
Speaking to reporters, Bhattacharya highlighted the absence of murder or overt intimidation during the recent West Bengal Assembly election. “The people of West Bengal are delighted that, after so long, intimidation was kept at bay, that there were no incidents of murder during the elections and people were actually allowed to cast their votes,” he said. He added that the electorate’s gratitude extended to Gyanesh Kumar, whom he said had taken the initiative to delete the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators from the voter list in the border state. “The general public of West Bengal is grateful to Gyanesh Kumar and has blessed him with all their hearts,” Bhattacharya asserted.
Controversy surrounding the Election Commission
Bhattacharya’s endorsement of the CEC arrived amid a growing controversy over the Election Commission’s functioning. Reports have emerged that two election commissioners objected to decisions allegedly taken in their names during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a process intended to verify and update voter records. The alleged dissent has fueled debate about the internal dynamics of the commission and the legality of certain poll‑related orders.
Adding to the turbulence, a plea has been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the commission’s poll‑related orders and software changes that, according to the filing, were made by Kumar without the concurrence of his two fellow commissioners. The legal challenge underscores the heightened scrutiny faced by the Election Commission in the wake of the SIR exercise.
Political reactions and demands for resignation
The political fallout has been swift. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijeet Dipke, issued a 48‑hour ultimatum demanding Kumar’s resignation as CEC. The party warned it would launch a nationwide agitation if the deadline passed without Kumar stepping down. Simultaneously, the Congress party organized widespread protests on Friday, September 25, calling for the CEC’s removal and arrest.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi earlier labelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar as “traitors,” accusing them of “destroying” the foundation of India’s democracy by rigging elections. Bhattacharya dismissed Gandhi’s statements, saying they would be investigated for undermining democratic institutions.
In response to the internal dissent reports, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra argued that the presence of differing views among the three election commissioners demonstrated that the Election Commission was functioning in a democratic manner. Patra’s comment sought to frame the controversy as a sign of healthy deliberation rather than dysfunction.
Implications for the upcoming political landscape
Bhattacharya’s call for a Padma Bhushan award for Kumar, juxtaposed with the opposition’s demands for his resignation, reflects a polarized political environment in West Bengal. While the BJP chief emphasizes the CEC’s role in delivering a peaceful election and cleansing the voter list, other parties focus on alleged procedural irregularities and the legal challenges pending before the Supreme Court.
The outcome of the Supreme Court plea, the response to the CJP’s ultimatum, and the broader public perception of the Election Commission’s actions will likely shape the narrative surrounding the state’s electoral integrity. For now, the BJP’s endorsement of Gyanesh Kumar stands as a notable instance of political leaders using civilian honours to signal approval of administrative performance, even as the same official faces calls for removal from other quarters.
As the controversy continues to unfold, West Bengal’s electorate remains the focal point of the debate, with both praise and protest centering on the integrity of the voter list and the conduct of the election process. Whether Kumar’s alleged “cleansing” of the voter roll will be viewed as a necessary security measure or as an overreach subject to judicial review remains to be seen.
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