The elections are over, and now the state awaits the formation of a new cabinet. While many are calling the Election Commission or Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar the “man of the match,” much of the responsibility of implementing decisions amid immense pressure was handled behind the scenes by West Bengal’s Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Arindam Niyogi. He spoke to Newscope Bangla Editor Ashok Sengupta.
Former Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, has resigned from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Appellate Tribunal in West Bengal, citing “personal reasons.” The tribunal had been constituted to hear appeals from voters whose names were removed from the electoral rolls during the SIR exercise ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal has created electoral history in the 2026 Assembly elections by recording an unprecedented voter turnout of nearly 92.9%, the highest since Independence. The remarkable participation highlights a surge in democratic engagement and reflects the intensity of the political contest across the state.
In a significant administrative move during the peak of the state’s electoral process, the Central Government has granted a six-month service extension to West Bengal’s Director General of Police (DGP), Siddh Nath Gupta. The 1992-batch IPS officer, who was originally slated to retire on April 30, 2026, will now continue to lead the state’s police force until the end of October.
In a major pre-election crackdown, security forces across West Bengal have arrested over 1,500 individuals ahead of the final phase of the Assembly elections, aiming to ensure a peaceful and fair voting process. The large-scale operation was carried out jointly by state police and central forces, reflecting heightened concerns over law and order in the concluding stage of polling.
Ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has undertaken a major revision of the electoral rolls, removing more than 91 lakh names across the state. The move is part of an effort to ensure a clean and accurate voter database before polling begins.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla rejected notices moved by the Opposition MPs seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, holding that the Opposition failed to provide proof and the allegations levelled against him do not establish a prima facie case of “misbehaviour” as required under the Constitution.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla have rejected a notice submitted by 193 Opposition MPs across both Houses seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. No specific reasons were cited for the rejection.
