The TMC also highlighted the case of one of its sitting councillors in Naihati municipality, whose name has been deleted from the electoral list. (Express photo by Partha Paul)The publication of the electoral list of West Bengal by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday has sparked a heated row between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The list shows over 60 lakh names deleted and another 60 lakh names under ‘adjudication’.TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty alleged that the EC is trying to delete genuine voters’ names through “logical discrepancies”.“Firstly, EC is working as a servant of BJP. BJP has given them a target which by hook or crook, they have to achieve. We have no problem with deleting names of dead or voters who have shifted. But why harass and delete names of people through logical discrepancies,” he claimed. He further claimed that, “Bengal’s chief secretary Nandini Chakraborty is under adjudication,” and warned that the party “will fight this out in court, but the people of Bengal will hit the streets and give BJP a befitting reply.”TMC MLA and Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Firhad Hakim asserted that the party will prove they are genuine voters. “We will prove we are Indians and voters in Bengal. We are not infiltrators. We have full confidence in the court and judiciary. Even through adjudication we will prove we are genuine voters,” he said.The TMC also highlighted the case of one of its sitting councillors in Naihati municipality, whose name has been deleted from the electoral list. The party alleged a “voter-purge conspiracy” and accused the BJP of trying to rig the elections.“The full, filthy extent of @BJP4India and @ECISVEEP’s SILENT INVISIBLE RIGGING now stands exposed before Bengal’s eyes,” the TMC tweeted.TMC, meanwhile, highlighted the case of one of its sitting councillors in Naihati municipality, whose name has been deleted from the electoral list. The party alleged a “voter-purge conspiracy” and accused the BJP of trying to rig the elections.Story continues below this ad“The full, filthy extent of @BJP4India and @ECISVEEP’s SILENT INVISIBLE RIGGING now stands exposed before Bengal’s eyes,” the TMC posted on X. ‘In the final electoral rolls, Naihati Municipality Ward No. 2 Councillor Sushanta Sarkar and his mother Arati Sarkar have been DELETED. An elected representative and his family erased like ghosts in this voter-purge conspiracy,’ it added.However, BJP leaders dismissed the TMC’s allegations as “dirty politics”.Sukanta Majumdar, Union MoS Education and BJP Lok Sabha MP, said the TMC is trying to politicise the issue. “TMC is trying to politicise the thing and playing dirty politics. Some names are deleted and some names are under adjudication. So it can’t be said that those names have already been deleted. Those names will be looked into by the judicial officers who have been given the responsibility and then many of their names will remain. But TNC is just trying to heat up the situation because this was their plan from the very beginning.”Also Read | West Bengal Voter List: Over 63 Lakh Names Deleted in Final RollBJP State President Samik Bhattacharya accused the TMC of trying to mount pressure on the judiciary. “It is a shameful state of affairs when the chief minister is desperately trying to mount pressure on the judiciary. It is highly shameful, unfortunate and a face loss for West Bengal,” he said.“We are not concerned with TMC. Where we have been restrained to fill our form 7, wherever form 7 was burnt, where police captured our form 7 and so many BJP workers were ruthlessly beaten up, we are concerned about that. No SIR, no vote, EC has to accept all our form 7s,” Samik Bhattacharya said.Story continues below this adCPI(M) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya criticised the EC’s approach, saying it has created a mess. “My take is that a very simple thing: updating of electoral role was a regular exercise of the Election Commission. The EC itself has created a mess demanding certain documents to be produced for the purpose of getting enrolled, which is totally uncalled for, unless you specifically identify someone to be a non citizen you cannot and you do not have the authority under the constitution to ask for production of documents” he said.He added that the EC should have conducted a door-to-door survey instead of deleting names politically.“They ought to have gone door to door survey and get the names enrolled. And see those who were dead and not found that their names are deleted. Instead they did it politically. Now the list is out, people have been put into difficulty unnecessarily and this will create chaos until the people are satisfied that their names have not been deleted for no reason. Let us wait. Every state is getting irritated, agitated,” Bhattacharya added.Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read MoreTanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd