Samajwadi Party Files Complaint Against Election Commission Official in Howrah

Howrah, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : The Howrah unit of the Samajwadi Party has filed a complaint against Dr. Seema Khanna, the Director General (IT) of the Election Commission, demanding her resignation and arrest. Party workers gathered outside the Howrah police station, waving flags and chanting slogans in protest. The event concluded with the submission of the formal complaint against Khanna.

State President Shrikant Ghosh criticized the Election Commission, alleging that its actions have disproportionately benefited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He claimed that during the Special Investigation Report (SIR) process, numerous voters had their names removed from the electoral rolls.

Ghosh specifically called for accountability regarding Dr. Khanna’s role and demanded punitive measures against her. He also insisted that the Election Commission should publicly disclose the identities of Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals labeled as fraudulent voters in the state. Furthermore, he advocated for the use of old ballot boxes in upcoming elections.

Ghosh noted that many individuals have reported their names missing from the voter list following the 2026 assembly elections. With municipal elections in Howrah approaching, he urged immediate attention to those who have yet to be registered.

During the demonstration, a woman claimed her sister had voted in the 2026 assembly elections and was present during the SIR hearing. She alleged that her sister’s name was subsequently removed from the voter list, suggesting that this was due to her Muslim identity. She encouraged others to regularly verify their voter registration status.

In response, local BJP leader Om Prakash Singh dismissed the allegations. He argued that if the BJP had intended to gain power through such means, it could have done so previously. Singh advised those who found their names missing to file complaints with the Election Commission and the District Magistrate.

He called for a thorough investigation by the District Magistrate into the matter. Singh stated that if the complaints were found to be unfounded, legal action should be taken against the complainants. Conversely, if the allegations were substantiated, appropriate measures should be taken by the Election Commission to reinstate eligible voters.

The Samajwadi Party has raised serious concerns about the Election Commission’s conduct, while the BJP has rejected the accusations and demanded an administrative inquiry into the situation.