CEC Gyanesh Kumar faces "go-back" slogans as Kolkata locals protest against SIR, show black flags

The political atmosphere in West Bengal intensified on Sunday as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with a full bench of Election Commissioners, arrived in Kolkata. The high-profile team was greeted with slogans and black flags by a group of local protesters gathered outside the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. The demonstration targeted the CEC’s convoy, signaling deep-seated public and political unrest ahead of the crucial 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) team, including Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, has embarked on a three-day mission from March 8th to March 10th to assess the state’s election preparedness. This visit comes amid a heated legal and political battle over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has seen lakhs of voters' names being adjudicated by court-appointed judicial officers following allegations of mass deletions.

During their stay, the full bench is scheduled to hold a series of high-level meetings with representatives of all recognized political parties, senior administrative officials, and top police brass. The discussions are expected to focus on the deployment of central forces, the identification of sensitive polling zones, and ensuring the integrity of the upcoming electoral process. The ECI team is also reviewing the status of EVMs, VVPATs, and other essential logistics across all districts.