For the second time in December, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has sharply reprimanded district authorities in West Bengal for failing to identify apartment complexes suitable for hosting polling stations. The Commission has now set a strict deadline for compliance, warning of action against officials.
Strict Deadline and Warning Issued
On Tuesday, December 31, 2025, the ECI issued an ultimatum to the District Electoral Officers (DEOs) of eight key districts in the state. They have been directed to submit a definitive list of residential complexes eligible for polling booths by Wednesday. The ECI warned of strict action in case of non-compliance.
The concerned districts are Kolkata North, Kolkata South, Howrah, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, and Paschim Bardhaman. The directive was communicated during meetings held in Kolkata with Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti.
A History of Delays and Political Opposition
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier, on December 10, the Commission had pulled up the DEOs for the same lapse. In a letter to West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, Under Secretary Shakti Sharma expressed the ECI's very serious view of the failure, stating that DEOs were liable for any insufficiency of polling stations.
The core proposal involves setting up polling booths inside large housing societies and high-rise buildings to boost urban voter turnout, a model first tried in Delhi. However, the move has sparked a major political confrontation in Bengal.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is firmly opposed, arguing that polling stations should remain in government or semi-government premises to ensure neutrality and accessibility for all. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee formally objected to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar last month, calling the proposal deeply problematic and discriminatory.
In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has welcomed the initiative. The party believes residents of such complexes are often its supporters and face obstacles in reaching traditional polling stations.
Revised Voter Threshold and Electoral Significance
Initially, the ECI proposed installing booths in complexes with 400 or more voters. Following objections from the TMC, the threshold was lowered to 300 voters, according to ECI sources.
The issue is seen as highly significant ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, particularly in urban and semi-urban constituencies like Kolkata, Howrah, and the Salt Lake-New Town belt, where apartment complexes house a substantial portion of the electorate.
A senior ECI official summarized the standoff, stating, The state government is unwilling to allow polling booths in apartment complexes, while the Election Commission is firm on implementing the plan. It remains to be seen whether this results in a confrontation or a middle path is found.
