Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Friday dodged a question on the ongoing dispute over the name and election symbol of the Trinamool Congress, with rival factions – Kalighat as well as the Ritabrata camp, staking claim over the party’s name and symbol before the poll body.
The Mamata Banerjee-led party seems to be facing its worst political crisis as several heavyweight leaders continue to resign and either out rightly join the Bharatiya Janata Party or its rebel group headed by Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee. A large of its Lok Sabha MPs have even joined a defunct political party, the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
In a lighter vein, Kumar remarked, “I don’t know which is the real Trinamool and which is the fake Trinamool.”
তৃণমূলের প্রতীক বিতর্কে মুখ খুললেন জ্ঞানেশ কুমার!#GyaneshKumar #TMCsymbol #DainikStatesman pic.twitter.com/0jU3eLw4XJ
— Dainik Statesman (@StatesmanDainik) July 17, 2026
The comment from Kumar at the All India Media Conference 2026, organised by the Election Commission of India at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in Delhi, is likely to add fresh political significance to the dispute, which is currently under the Commission’s consideration.
The conference, attended by media representatives from all 36 States and Union Territories, focused on strengthening responsible and fact-based election reporting while familiarising journalists with the Commission’s procedures and technology-driven initiatives.
The CEC also strongly defended the conduct of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, dismissing allegations of booth capturing and electoral malpractice while asserting that the record voter turnout itself reflected the credibility of the electoral process.
Responding to allegations of booth capturing and “booth jamming” levelled by the Trinamool during the recently concluded elections in West Bengal, Kumar said “Where did booth capturing take place? Where did booth jamming happen? If that had happened, 93.7 per cent polling would not have been possible. West Bengal has never witnessed an election like this before.”
He maintained that the Election Commission had functioned strictly within the framework of the Constitution and the law, and not under the influence of any political party.
Referring to the criticism he faced during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, Kumar said the period had not been pleasant but insisted that the Commission had discharged its responsibilities independently.
“I did not work at anyone’s behest. Every decision of the Commission was taken strictly in accordance with the law,” he said.
Highlighting the unprecedented voter participation in the state, Kumar noted that West Bengal recorded nearly 93.7 per cent voter turnout in the Assembly elections, surpassing even Australia’s voter participation despite compulsory voting.
“Australia records around 91 per cent polling despite mandatory voting. West Bengal has recorded an even higher turnout. That itself reflects people’s confidence in the electoral process,” he said, adding that the high participation demonstrated that the election had been peaceful, free and fair.
On the Special Intensive Revision exercise, Kumar reiterated that the process in West Bengal was carried out in the same manner as in other states and strictly in accordance with established rules.