TMC Develops Strategy to Identify Ghost Voters for 2026 Elections

TMC has outlined a detailed plan to combat ghost voters ahead of the 2026 elections by forming committees and appointing agents. BJP has accused TMC of attempting to disenfranchise voters. The voter list verification process is set to begin on April 16. TMC asserts the need for integrity in voter registration amid claims of fraudulent voter enrollment by the BJP.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Abhishek Banerjee, has devised a comprehensive strategy to identify and eliminate “ghost voters” before the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal. This plan, discussed in a recent virtual meeting, focuses on appointing agents and establishing committees at multiple organizational levels to ensure effective identification of fraudulent voters.

In opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused TMC of attempting to disenfranchise legitimate voters, claiming their actions are aimed at excluding BJP supporters while facilitating the inclusion of illegal immigrants. BJP leader Rahul Sinha has stated, “The TMC is raising a hue and cry over ghost voters as part of their sinister plan to exclude Hindi-speaking voters.”

The voter list verification is set to commence on April 16 and will continue until the elections. In preparation, TMC plans to form various committees, including block committees from March 21 to 27 and booth-level committees from April 4 to 14. These committees will comprise local leaders such as MLAs, municipality chairpersons, and panchayat chiefs.

This initiative follows accusations from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who alleged that the BJP has registered false voters with the help of the Election Commission of India (ECI). Banerjee contends they have operationalized a scheme to register up to 30,000 unfounded voters in each assembly constituency.

The ECI has countered these accusations by clarifying that identical electoral photo identity cards (EPICs) do not necessarily denote duplicate voters, attributing the occurrences to errors in the decentralized manual registration processes. To remedy this, the ECI will implement unique EPIC numbers for all electors and upgrade the ERONET 2.0 platform.

In summary, TMC’s proactive measures against ghost voters aim to bolster the integrity of the upcoming elections. By forming structured committees and appointing agents, the party seeks to address voter verification concerns, while countering allegations of fraudulent registrations. The situation continues to unfold as political tensions escalate between TMC and BJP, highlighting the complexities surrounding voter registration in West Bengal.

Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com