Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 16: Tensions between the All India Trinamool Congress and the Election Commission of India intensified on Monday after Trinamool MPs staged a day-long walkout from the Rajya Sabha to protest the removal of several senior bureaucrats in poll-bound West Bengal, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty.

The protest came only hours after the poll panel announced the schedule for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Voting will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

Raising the issue just before Zero Hour, Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien strongly criticised the Commission’s action, calling it a “midnight move” that targeted the state’s administrative leadership.

“In the dead of night, the chief secretary, the principal secretary and the home secretary have been removed by the EC. They have all the power to do it,” O’Brien said, alleging that the move reflected overreach and bias by the poll body.

He announced that Trinamool MPs would boycott proceedings in the House for the rest of the day to protest what the party described as an attempt to weaken the administration led by Mamata Banerjee ahead of the crucial elections.

According to the directive issued late Sunday night, the Commission also removed Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena from his position.

The poll panel appointed Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch IAS officer, as the new Chief Secretary. It also directed that Chakravorty be kept away from any election-related responsibilities to ensure neutrality during the poll process.

In addition, Sanghamitra Ghosh has been appointed as the new Principal Secretary for the Home and Hill Affairs department.

The Trinamool Congress has long expressed concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission, particularly regarding alleged discrepancies during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal and what it views as partisan behaviour by the poll authority.

Several opposition parties, including the Trinamool, have previously criticised the Commission and even submitted notices seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.

However, the Election Commission has defended the transfers, stating that such administrative changes are routine in states heading for elections and are intended to ensure neutrality and smooth conduct of the electoral process.