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Bengal SIR Row: Escalating the TMC's confrontation with the Election Commission over Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Abhishek Banerjee, the party's national general secretary, on Friday attacked the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing the poll body of planting "selective leaks". The TMC leader demanded the EC release full CCTV footage and all evidence linked to West Bengal's ongoing SIR exercise.

"The Election Commission is deliberately planting selective leaks to falsely claim that they have provided a point-by-point rebuttal to the issues raised by the AITC delegation today. These assertions are not just misleading, they are OUTRIGHT LIES. If the EC truly has nothing to hide and actually believes in transparency, then instead of hiding behind motivated leaks, it must immediately release the full CCTV footage and every piece of evidence it claims to possess. Anything less only exposes their bad faith and raises serious questions about their intent," he wrote on X.

ALSO READ: ‘Blood On Your Hands’: TMC Delegation Meets CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Claims 40 Deaths In Bengal Due To SIR

"And let me add this clearly: A few hours will always be too short, take as many days as you want to answer the five basic questions we placed before you," his post read further.

"We have ENOUGH DIGITAL EVIDENCE to prove how your narrative is being distorted through planted, fabricated leaks. So THINK TWICE before you choose to pick a fight with West Bengal and @AITCofficial. I understand your frustration, Mr. SIR, but facts do not bend to convenience. If energy is available for planting stories, surely it can be redirected to answering the five simple questions. Your Time starts NOW!," his note read.

BJP Questions Why TMC Vote Share Increased

On the other hand, West Bengal LoP and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari said, "TMC wants to include infiltrators, dead voters, and fake voters in the voter list; that's their vote bank. Otherwise, TMC's 45.67% vote share would drop to 30%. They have taken votes from at least 60-70 lakh dead voters, fake voters, Bangladeshi and Muslim infiltrators, so out of fear, they are demanding a stay on SIR. This happened in Bihar too, but the Supreme Court did not stay SIR... This is nothing new...This (SIR) should happen."

Bihar Voters Responded To Opposition's Allegations On SIR: Union Minister

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the SIR is a routine exercise of the Election Commission to purge electoral rolls, adding that voters in the recent Bihar assembly polls "responded to the opposition" on the issue.

TMC Claims 40 SIR-Related Deaths In Bengal

Meanwhile, a Trinamool Congress delegation on Friday alleged before the EC top brass that around 40 SIR-related deaths had occurred in West Bengal so far, a charge junked by the poll authority. The TMC delegation, which met the EC top brass, also accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of having "blood on his hands".

ALSO READ: ‘No Challenges In SIR’: SC Backs Bihar Voter Roll Revision; BJP Hits Back At Congress Over ‘Vote Chori’ Claim

The 10-member delegation, led by TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien, met the EC officials amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. EC officials noted that during the meeting, the TMC leaders were told that the independence of booth-level officers should not be interfered with during the enumeration forms distribution process as part of SIR. The delegation provided the CEC with a list of 40 people whose deaths, they alleged, were linked to the SIR exercise.

EC Junks TMC's Claims

EC officials said the poll authority gave a point-wise rebuttal to all concerns and "baseless allegations" raised by the TMC delegation. The commission urged them to present their claims and objections after December 9, when the draft list will be shared with them.

"Till then, they should not interfere with the independent functioning of BLOs, electoral registration officers and district election officers who are state government employees on deputation to election-related works," the official said. Additionally, the Election Commission shot off a letter to DGP West Bengal and Kolkata Police Commissioner to ensure that the BLOs are not pressurised and threatened by political party workers.

(With PTI inputs)

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