Police complaint filed against Abhishek Banerjee over Rejinagar bypoll post
Synopsis
A Returning Officer acting for the Election Commission has filed a police complaint against TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee for a social media post claiming BJP's Rejinagar candidate got more votes than registered voters — a claim electoral officials flatly rejected with data showing the voter roll figure he cited was wrong by over 300. The case lands as BJP sweeps both West Bengal bypolls and TMC escalates its war with the poll body in Delhi.
Key Takeaways
The Returning Officer , acting on behalf of the Election Commission of India , filed a police complaint against Abhishek Banerjee at Rejinagar Police Station on Saturday .
Banerjee had claimed that BJP candidate Sakharav Sarkar received 909 votes at Booth No.
109 against a registered voter count of 772 — alleging impossible vote tallies.
The District Electoral Officer countered that the actual registered electorate at that booth was 1,109 , not 772, and that 972 votes were validly polled across all candidates.
The BJP won both the Rejinagar and Nandigram bypolls (held on 6 October 2026 ), lifting its West Bengal Assembly tally to 209 seats in the 294-seat House.
Abhishek Banerjee and former CM Mamata Banerjee are currently in New Delhi demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
Trinamool Congress general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee faces a police complaint filed by the Returning Officer (RO) on behalf of the Election Commission of India (ECI) over an allegedly misleading social media post concerning the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll results in West Bengal. The complaint was registered at Rejinagar Police Station on Saturday, 11 October 2026.
What Abhishek Banerjee Claimed
On Friday, 10 October 2026, while vote counting for the Rejinagar bypoll was still underway, Abhishek Banerjee — also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — shared a post on social media alleging a serious discrepancy in the results. He claimed that at Booth No. 109 in Rejinagar, the winning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Sakharav Sarkar, had secured 909 votes even though the total number of registered voters at that booth was only 772 — implying the figure exceeded the voter roll.
Election Officials Reject the Claim
The District Electoral Officer (DEO) and District Magistrate (DM) issued a prompt counter-statement rejecting Abhishek Banerjee's assertion. According to the electoral roll for that polling station, the actual number of registered electors was 1,109 — not 772 — and a total of 972 votes were polled across all candidates at that booth. Officials said Banerjee's post contained a factually incorrect baseline figure for registered voters.
Police Complaint and Legal Implications
Based on the ECI's direction, the concerned RO formally registered a police complaint against Abhishek Banerjee at Rejinagar Police Station on Saturday. It remains to be seen whether the Diamond Harbour MP will be summoned for questioning in connection with the complaint, which relates to the dissemination of allegedly false information during an active counting process.
Bypoll Results and Broader Context
The by-elections for the Rejinagar and Nandigram Assembly constituencies in East Midnapore district were held on 6 October 2026, with results declared on 9 October 2026. The BJP won both seats by what are described as massive margins, pushing the party's tally in the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly to 209 seats — a significant numerical consolidation.
This comes as both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are reportedly in New Delhi, participating in a movement by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Critics argue the complaint adds a layer of legal jeopardy to the TMC leadership at a politically sensitive moment, following back-to-back bypoll losses in Bengal.
What Happens Next
The Rejinagar Police Station is now in possession of the formal complaint. A decision on summoning Abhishek Banerjee for questioning is expected in the coming days. The episode is likely to intensify the already sharp conflict between the TMC and the ECI, with both sides now engaged on the legal front.
Point of View
Later contradicted by official voter-roll data, risked inflaming public sentiment during live counting, and the ECI's decision to pursue a formal complaint signals it intends to hold political figures accountable for election-period disinformation. Yet the timing — with both Banerjees simultaneously in Delhi demanding the CEC's head — risks being read as a mutual escalation. What gets lost is the larger question: with BJP at 209 seats in a 294-seat House, West Bengal's political centre of gravity has shifted, and no social media post can alter that arithmetic.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was a police complaint filed against Abhishek Banerjee?
A police complaint was filed against Abhishek Banerjee because he posted on social media during counting day for the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll, claiming that BJP candidate Sakharav Sarkar received 909 votes at a booth where only 772 voters were registered — an allegation that election officials said was factually incorrect. The Returning Officer acted on behalf of the Election Commission of India to register the complaint at Rejinagar Police Station.
What did election officials say in response to Abhishek Banerjee's post?
The District Electoral Officer and District Magistrate issued a counter-statement clarifying that the actual number of registered electors at Booth No. 109 in Rejinagar was 1,109 — not 772 as Banerjee claimed — and that 972 votes were legitimately polled across all candidates at that booth. Officials said the post used a wrong baseline figure, making the discrepancy alleged by Banerjee factually baseless.
What were the results of the Rejinagar and Nandigram bypolls?
The BJP won both the Rejinagar and Nandigram Assembly bypolls, which were held on 6 October 2026 with results declared on 9 October 2026. The party won by what are described as massive margins, raising its total tally in the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly to 209 seats.
Will Abhishek Banerjee be summoned for questioning?
It is not yet confirmed whether Abhishek Banerjee will be summoned by Rejinagar Police Station for questioning in connection with the complaint. A decision is expected in the coming days as the police review the formally registered case.
Where are Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee currently?
Both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are reportedly in New Delhi, participating in a movement by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) that is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
