Mamata demands arrest of Chief Election Commissioner and seeks fresh polls in West Bengal

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. File | Photo credit: ANI

Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) called for the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar, who has leveled allegations of vote-stealing in assembly elections in West Bengal and other states.

“Today, the entire country is in turmoil because of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and my first demand is that he be arrested and prosecuted,” Ms Banerjee said at a virtual press conference.

She also called for the “return” of the election, which she claimed was “stolen”, saying that opposition parties are united in their fight against the Election Commission (EC). “Re-elections must be held in West Bengal with the old electoral roll,” Ms. Banerjee said.

Her remarks came in the wake of a report by The Indian Express that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had allegedly red flagged several issues during the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls in many states.

Ms. Banerjee said that there would be a nationwide protest against the Chief Election Commissioner and that leaders of the INDIA opposition bloc would soon meet on the issue.

“All parties, including INDIA’s regional and alliance parties, are together in this battle… This is no longer just about impeachment, punitive action is required,” All India Trinamool Congress leader Mamata said. She also said that her party was the first to raise these issues seven to eight months before the election.

Ms. Banerjee demanded that action be taken not only against the Chief Election Commissioner but also against those in the government and the EC who are responsible for the problems. She claimed that her party’s symbol was removed because she was protesting against the EC’s action.

Abhishek calls for the probe

Diamond Harbor MP and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee called for a judicial inquiry into the Chief Election Commissioner. “The CEC must be removed immediately and a court-monitored inquiry ordered. Disenfranchisement of thousands of voters in favor of allegedly one political party strikes at the very foundation of our democracy. Those responsible must be held accountable,” Banerjee said.

Both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee pointed out that they had raised questions about EC official Seema Khanna in December 2025. At the time, Mr Banerjee questioned her role in ES technology systems, claiming she was involved in managing the ES application.

He said that during the West Bengal Assembly elections, all INDIA bloc parties had written to the Chief Justice of India and other Supreme Court judges, raising serious concerns, but alleged that these allegations were neither reviewed nor given due scrutiny. Mr. Banerjee raised questions about institutional impartiality and said, “The Supreme Court cannot look away. This will stop the buck.”

Published – 23 Sep 2026 16:57 IST