Trinamool Congress Attacks Election Commission Over Form-7 Policy Change
The Election Commission of India faced sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress on Friday. The political party expressed strong disapproval of the EC's recent clarification. This clarification stated there is no limit on how many Form-7 documents a voter can submit.
What is Form-7 and Why Does It Matter?
Form-7 is an official document used to request the removal of names from the electoral roll. People submit it to delete the names of voters who have died or permanently moved away from a constituency. The process aims to keep voter lists accurate and up-to-date.
In a recent letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, the Election Commission made its position clear. It stated that any elector can submit as many Form-7 applications as they wish. The EC confirmed this applies during regular periods and also during the Special Intensive Revision period.
Trinamool's Fierce Allegations of Rule-Bending
The Trinamool Congress reacted swiftly and angrily to this announcement. The party posted a strong message on the social media platform X. It accused the Election Commission of not just bending rules but tearing up its own rulebook.
"When asked to bend, they crawled," the Trinamool statement declared. It claimed the EC's move was designed specifically to help the Bharatiya Janata Party meet voter deletion targets in Bengal.
Trinamool leaders pointed out a seeming contradiction. They noted that during the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar, the EC's own guidelines had set a limit. In that case, booth-level agents could submit only ten Form-7s each.
A Timeline of Accusations and Incidents
The party presented a timeline to support its claims. On January 13, 2026, Trinamool workers reportedly detained a vehicle. This vehicle was carrying nearly three thousand Form-7 documents.
The very next day, a Trinamool delegation submitted a formal complaint to the state's Chief Electoral Officer. The complaint alleged that BJP members and their agents were making bulk submissions. The goal, according to Trinamool, was to engineer mass deletions of legitimate voters.
Then, on January 16, the Election Commission issued its clarification removing all limits on submissions. Trinamool connected these events directly. "Democracy isn't dying quietly," the party stated. "It's being dismantled in broad daylight."
The BJP's Response and EC's Verification Process
The Bharatiya Janata Party firmly denied all allegations. BJP officials countered with their own claims. They alleged that election officials in some areas were illegally refusing to accept Form-7 submissions. This refusal, they argued, violated the EC's own mandated rules.
The Election Commission also provided details on its verification process. It clarified that all deletion requests must be personally cross-checked by the Electoral Registration Officer. This is especially important when one person submits more than five Form-7 applications.
Data Shows High Number of Submissions from BJP
Official data from the Election Commission reveals interesting numbers. Between December 17 and January 16, political parties submitted a total of 604 Form-7s. A breakdown of this data shows that the BJP submitted 591 of these forms. This figure represents the vast majority of the total submissions from political parties during that period.
The controversy highlights the intense political competition in West Bengal. It also underscores the critical importance of electoral roll management. All parties are watching the Election Commission's actions closely as they prepare for future polls.
