Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers during a clash over the submission of Form 7 protesting the inclusion of voters in the Special Intensive Review (SIR), at Lalbag sub-division in Murshidabad, West Bengal on January 19, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI
Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists clashed in West Bengal on Monday (January 19, 2026) over submission of Form 7 for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Form 7 is “an application that objects to the inclusion of another person’s name; requests that one’s own name be deleted; requests that the name of any other person be deleted from the electoral roll because that person has died or because they have moved”.
Clashes broke out in Murshidabad after BJP supporters tried to file a large number of Form 7 applications. Trinamool Congress supporters were seen assaulting BJP workers and burning Form 7 applications.
The police “were spectators”
BJP Murshidabad MLA, Gouri Sankar Ghosh said that the district Trinamool Congress leadership was behind the attack on party supporters at the sub-divisional office and the police were mute spectators. Videos broadcast by local television news channels showed Trinamool Congress supporters pelting bricks at vehicles of BJP supporters.
In Asansol of Paschim Bardhaman district, a brawl broke out between TMC and BJP workers outside the Sub-Divisional Administrator’s office. BJP workers went there to file lots of applications in Form 7. Asansol BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul organized protests and blocked roads due to police action against BJP supporters.
Ms. Paul said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has released her party workers so that BJP workers cannot submit Form 7 applications to object to fake voters. “Our workers are being attacked. Police are detaining BJP workers. Documents are being torn. This is an attack on democracy,” the BJP leader said.
Earlier this month, Trinamool Congress supporters attacked at least two Block Development Officer offices in the state over complaints that a large number of people were being called for SIR hearings.
The West Bengal BJP delegation met the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and called for an extension of at least a week in the deadline for filing Form 7 applications. BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said the Trinamool Congress leadership is trying to disrupt the SIR in the state.
Mr. Bhattacharya said that the Assembly elections will not be held if the SIR is not done properly. The BJP leader also alleged that prominent persons are being called to the SIR hearing as a conspiracy to incite hatred among the people of the state against ECI and BJP.
Published – 19 Jan 2026 22:49 IST
