KALYAN BANERJEE, a senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, said the party’s rebels violated the TMC constitution by calling the June 22 meeting a “special session,” a claim the Election Commission (EC) rejected as unfounded.
The Election Commission’s response, released on Tuesday, said it had found no evidence of any procedural irregularities in the scheduling of the June 22 session of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. The EC noted that the assembly’s calendar is set by the Speaker in consultation with the ruling party and that the term “special session” is a standard parliamentary term used when the legislature meets outside the regular schedule.
Kalyan Banerjee, addressing a press conference in Kolkata, argued that the rebels’ characterization of the June 22 meeting as “special” was a deliberate attempt to undermine the TMC’s internal rules. “By labeling the session ‘special,’ they have acted against the party’s constitution, which mandates that any extraordinary meeting be called only by the party president,” he said.
The rebels, a faction of TMC legislators who have publicly expressed dissent over party leadership, previously alleged that the June 22 session was convened to push through a controversial bill without proper internal consultation. Their accusations included claims of “fraudulent” manipulation of the assembly’s agenda.
In its reply, the EC emphasized that the scheduling of legislative sessions falls under the jurisdiction of the state’s legislative machinery, not the poll body. The commission also reiterated that it monitors election-related activities, not internal party disputes, and therefore does not adjudicate on the rebels’ constitutional allegations.
The TMC’s central leadership has not yet commented on Banerjee’s remarks. Meanwhile, the rebel faction remains vocal, demanding a formal inquiry into the decision‑making process for the June 22 session.
Analysis: The EC’s dismissal of the rebels’ fraud claims underscores the limited scope of the poll body in internal party matters. By framing the issue as a constitutional breach within the TMC, Banerjee shifts the focus from procedural legitimacy of the assembly session to party governance. If the rebels pursue legal action, they may need to approach the judiciary rather than the EC, which traditionally handles electoral compliance rather than intra‑party disputes. The episode highlights ongoing factional tensions within the TMC ahead of the next state elections, potentially influencing candidate selection and campaign strategy.
Sources
– NDTV, “In poll body reply, Mamata Banerjee’s bloc brands rebels’ claims ‘fraudulent’,” https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-poll-body-reply-mamata-banerjees-bloc-brands-rebels-claims-fraudulent-11734342#publisher=newsstand
Story synopsis gathered from: NDTV – India News — source
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