'Arbitrary, Without Jurisdiction & Discriminatory': TMC’s Plea In SC Against ECI’s Counting Directive | Exclusive

Last Updated:May 01, 2026, 22:05 IST

A fundamental tenet of the TMC’s argument is that the BJP serves as the ruling party at the Centre and has administrative control over central government and PSU employees

CNN-News18 has exclusively accessed details of a formal plea filed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the Supreme Court, challenging a recent directive regarding the conduct of the upcoming election count in West Bengal. The party has categorised the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision as arbitrary, lacking in jurisdiction, and discriminatory, further alleging that it creates a reasonable apprehension of bias within the electoral process.

A central tenet of the TMC’s argument is that its principal political opponent, the Bharatiya Janata Party, serves as the ruling party at the Centre and consequently exercises administrative control over central government and PSU employees.

The plea highlights a sudden and selective change in procedure that is notably applicable only to West Bengal, rather than being implemented across other states where elections were held simultaneously.

According to the document, the Additional Chief Electoral Officer is not bestowed with the jurisdiction to introduce policy decisions or alter existing policies during an ongoing election. The TMC contends that the directive significantly alters the composition of personnel at counting tables by disproportionately increasing the presence of individuals under central government control without any corresponding representation or balancing mechanism.

The party maintains that these apprehensions are neither speculative nor directed at specific individuals but are founded upon legitimate concerns regarding institutional control and structural bias.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant gave directions for an urgent hearing of the matter on Saturday. The plea will be listed before a bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi. The TMC approached the apex court for an urgent hearing, two days before the results of the West Bengal election. This came after the Calcutta High Court dismissed the party’s plea.

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