Kolkata, March 15 (NationPress) On Sunday, opposition factions in West Bengal demanded a transition in governance, emphasizing the necessity for the Assembly elections to be free, fair, and peaceful.

BJP state leader Samik Bhattacharya praised the Election Commission's resolution to conduct the West Bengal Assembly elections in two phases.

"We welcome the two-phase elections in West Bengal. While elections in other states occur without reports of fatalities or violence, West Bengal witnesses targeted aggression from Trinamool Congress affiliates against those voting for the opposition. Here, violence proliferates, and democracy suffers. We urge the people of Bengal to alter this situation. A government change is imperative," Bhattacharya stated during a press interaction.

He expressed confidence that the BJP would secure a government position in West Bengal by May 4, the date of the vote count.

"There's no need to heed the ruling party's claims. The populace is fatigued by TMC's divisive and hateful politics. We are determined to end this. The Trinamool Congress will face consequences for its actions in this Assembly election," added Bhattacharya.

Simultaneously, the CPI(M) criticized the delay in publishing a complete voters' list prior to the election notification.

CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim remarked, "Labeling such a substantial number of individuals as ‘D-voters’ lacks legal justification. One is either a voter or not. Initially, a mapping exercise occurred; subsequently, even those who validated their identities during this process faced attempts to exclude their names under various pretenses or were left in uncertainty. Both the central and state governments have faltered in this regard, evidencing that political lackeys have taken over offices like the BDO, SDO, and DM. The BLOs and COs also suffer from indecision."

Challenging the Election Commission's credibility, Salim further stated, "How can a fair, free, and impartial vote be organized when a comprehensive voter list cannot be produced for everyone? The voter list that is prepared lacks fairness, impartiality, and is influenced by communalism, targeting specific regions, religions, booths, and areas to manipulate the voting outcome based on sheer numbers."

He indicated a potential legal challenge to ensure valid voters are included in the supplementary voters' list.

"We will pursue this matter diligently. Our movement aims to safeguard voting rights and reinforce democracy. There will be no politics of division. We have consulted with our legal teams and appeal to all lawyers who value democracy and humanity to join us; our legal professionals will establish volunteer groups spanning from Sub-divisional and District Courts to the High Court and the Supreme Court. We will steadfastly support those under siege. We will fight relentlessly to secure these voting rights," he asserted.

In a conversation with IANS, state Congress leader Ashutosh Chatterjee expressed uncertainty about the voting rights of individuals under adjudication.

"What will happen to the 60 lakh individuals whose names are under adjudication? Today's press conference lacked specific guidelines. No discussions about the law-and-order situation occurred. When will the supplementary voters' list be released? There is no clarity on these critical matters. Is the Election Commission serving as an envoy for the BJP? Why can’t it guarantee impartial elections?" queried Chatterjee.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Sunday a two-phase polling schedule for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, set for April 23 and April 29, despite the uncertainty surrounding over 42 lakh voters referred for judicial adjudication after being classified under the “logical discrepancy” category.

According to data from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for West Bengal, the total number of electors in the state was 7,66,37,529 before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was initiated in November. However, following the finalization of the voters’ list on February 28, excluding those under judicial adjudication, the number of electors decreased to 6,44,52,609.