EC Issues New 'Worry List' of Thousands, Mostly Muslims, Many TMC-Linked, Before Final Phase in West Bengal Poll, Seeks Preventive Detention

The Election Commission on Monday issued a new list of thousands of individuals including Trinamool Congress linked politicians, across 142 constituencies scheduled to go to polls on April 29, along with a memo, reviewed by The Wire, to the Director General of Police, West Bengal issuing directions for "preventive detention/action” against individuals it said who “may attempt or may conspire to intimidate voters and may disturb the electoral process in their respective Assembly Constituencies.”

The memo issued by the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, on April 27, on 'preventive action' during the second and last phase of polling in West Bengal on April 29.

The memo was attached with names mentioned under a “worry list,” with a majority of the names listed being Muslim, and linked to the TMC, the Indian Secular Front (ISF), and a few from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While 152 of Bengal's constituencies went to elections on April 23, the remaining 142 seats will vote on April 29, with results scheduled for May 4.

Unlike the last memo issued by the EC, this letter has been signed by a police observer from the office of the CEO.

“There are hundreds of instances of intimidation to voters received in CEO, West Bengal's control room in 1 phase of election and instances of intimidation to voters in hundreds are being received in CEO, West Bengal's control room. Yesterday, even intimadators attacked and bombed a party's candidate in Bhatpara where even CISF jawan was injured in firing by intimadators. In first phase of elections, intimidators chased and assaulted a party's candidate in Kumarganj, Dakshin Dinajpur,” it said.

“In view of above, it has come to notice from various quarters that certain persons (names mentioned in Annexure-A & Annexure-B enclosed herewith) may attempt or may conspire to intimidate voters and may disturb the electoral process in their respective Assembly Constituencies/Police Station jurisdictions,” it added.

The memo was sent by the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal with the subject: ‘Preventive action against persons involved in voter intimidation-Immediate directions to all field functionaries in light of Hon'ble Calcutta High Court order and ECI guidelines.’

Memo No. 91/CEO/WB/2026 by The Wire

The Election Commission said a “strong and unambiguous message” must be communicated down the line that preventive arrests, raids and other lawful actions are required in the interest of free and fair polls and that the High Court order does not come in the way of such actions.

The memo acknowledged the order issued by the Calcutta High Court on April 22 that had stayed Election Commission’s earlier controversial list of “trouble makers”, saying the order will not come in the way of authorities to take action against those committing offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Representation of the People Act, 1951 or any other penal law.

“However, it is made clear that this order will not come in the way of the civil/police authorities to proceed against any person, who commits an offence under the BNS, RP Act, 1951 or any penal law. Putting it differently, even if the persons, whose names find place in Annexure-A of letter dated 21.04.2026, commit an offence, this interim order will not come in the way of the authorities to proceed against them in accordance with law as per their own independent discretion,” said the memo.

“We also direct that for exercising power of 'preventive detention/action', the authorities can proceed strictly in accordance with relevant detention law,” the memo said.

“The Court has thus made it abundantly clear that nothing in the interim order shall prevent the police from taking lawful action against any person committing offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Representation of the People Act, 1951 or any other penal law,” the EC memo also said.

Also read: Calcutta HC Stays ECI's List of 'Troublemakers', Says 'Cannot Issue Such Blanket Direction'

Directions issued by the DG CRPF to officials on April 27 regarding the silence period ahead of the next phase of polls noted there should be no assembly of people for political campaign.

"Trouble mongers should not be allowed to assemble and move around. ⁠Recent incident of group clash, leading to one of our CAPF personnel getting bullet injury should be a wakeup call for all CAPF personnel. We should aggressively and ruthlessly ensure compliance of ECI guidelines and directions in the interest of fair and fear-free election. Our teams should not hesitate to use Non-lethal force, wherever required in fulfilment of ECI directions. ⁠Tonight and Night between 28th/29th are the most crucial and we should aggressively ensure compliance of ECI directions in the interest of fear free election,” it said.

Unlike the last memo issued by the EC, the letter on April 27, 2026, has been signed by a police observer from the office of the CEO.

On April 22, The Wire reported, the Election Commission of India sent instructions to officials deployed in poll-bound West Bengal to book notorious “troublemakers”, identify potential “intimidators” and pick them up as preventive detention while sharing a secret list of over a thousand individuals – most of them Trinamool Congress MLAs and candidates, according to internal communication and documents.

The Election Commission had also issued a list of over a thousand individuals identified as “trouble mongers” (meaning trouble makers) in which were at least a dozen MLAs belonging to the ruling Trinamool Congress including sitting MLA Hamidul Rahaman, Manirul Islam and Amirul Islam and dozens of candidates.

The list was challenged by the TMC in the Calcutta high court on Monday through a public interest litigation that said the ECI has secretly prepared and circulated a list of so-called trouble makers across West Bengal, with directions to identify and arrest or preventively detain such persons before polling in the 2026 assembly elections.

The petition, filed by advocate Mohd Danish Farooqui, said the list predominantly contains workers, office-bearers and elected representatives associated with the ruling TMC. It contends that any such arrests, without specific criminal cases or lawful grounds, would amount to a direct assault on personal liberty and the democratic process.

The Calcutta High Court stepped in on Wednesday (April 22) staying the controversial communication issued from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer stating that the Election Commission does not have “unbridled powers.” By referring to Article 324 of the Constitution, it is urged that Election Commission does not have any unbridled powers. It can exercise its power provided the area is not covered by any other legislation or enactment,” it noted.

Anisha Dutta is an award-winning investigative journalist based in New York with over a decade of experience covering politics.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.