TMC moves court against ECI police observer over alleged ‘secret’ BJP meet

A major controversy has broken out just before the final phase of voting in the West Bengal assembly elections 2026 with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) filing a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court. The petition accused IPS officer Parmar Smith Parshottamdas, a police observer appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI), of holding a closed-door meeting with BJP candidate Gaur Ghosh from Magrahat West.

The drama started with CCTV footage from 20 April at the Sagarika Tourist Lodge in Diamond Harbour. TMC claims the video shows Parshottamdas staying there instead of his official residence at the IPS Mess in Alipore. They say he met Ghosh behind closed doors that night.

The party called this a clear violation of rules meant to keep elections fair. "Such collusion erodes voter trust," their petition states. They demand the court investigate why the officer chose that lodge and why the BJP candidate was there.

 TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee speaking during a roadshow in Falta on Sunday. "They thought they could sneak around in secret meetings, but I'm everywhere—in every breath of air, every leaf in Diamond Harbour," he said. "I'll drag this Police Observer to court."

True to his word, TMC lawyers filed the case on Monday. This is rare—directly challenging an ECI observer with unverified footage. Everyone waits for the High Court's orders and any ECI response.

Meanwhile, Monday buzzed as the last day of campaigning for the second phase of voting on 26 April. Top leaders hit the streets hard. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at a rally in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas, in Jagaddal around 11 am. Huge crowds gathered under tight security.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held events in Bhabanipur, her home turf, and will walk from Santoshpur in South Kolkata to Hazra More in a massive rally in the afternoon. Abhishek Banerjee dashed across Ranaghat, Hooghly, Arambagh, and Maheshtala. Amit Shah kicked off with a visit to Kapil Muni Ashram in Gangasagar at 9.15 am. He then led a roadshow from Behala Police Station to Manton at 10.30 am, followed by another in Chandannagar, Hooghly.

 BJP's Suvendu Adhikari stayed busy in Kolkata. He prayed at Sheetala Temple in Bhabanipur's Ward No. 71, then did door-to-door outreach. Later, he marched from Hazra Crossing to Exide Crossing. In Ekbalpur and Ward No. 77 of Bhabanipur, he slammed TMC during a foot march. "They are losing," he declared sharply.

Security blanketed every spot. Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand issued a special advisory on traffic and crowds. Roads closed, diversions popped up, and forces stayed alert with the Prime Minister in town.

This clash highlights the fierce Bengal battle. TMC paints the ECI observer as biased toward BJP, while campaigns pulse with energy. Voters in South 24 Parganas and beyond watch closely. Will the court act fast? What does ECI say? As polls near, trust in the process hangs in balance.