Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has not made any complaint against the Election Commission during the ongoing election season, a departure that has surprised many observers. In contrast, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been repeatedly accusing the Commission, with fresh allegations being raised frequently.
The report notes that the DMK, even when in power, has traditionally levelled multiple complaints at the Election Commission during elections. It recalls that during the previous Lok Sabha polls, the party raised objections, and more recently challenged voter list revisions in Tamil Nadu by moving the Supreme Court.
However, this time, the expected confrontation has not materialised. The article points out that DMK-aligned IAS and IPS officers in Tamil Nadu have not been shifted from key posts by the Commission, while in West Bengal, officials seen as close to the ruling Trinamool Congress were transferred despite Mamata Banerjee’s objections.
It further states that several West Bengal officials were sent to Tamil Nadu as election observers, a move Mamata Banerjee spoke about publicly. She alleged a “secret understanding” among the DMK, BJP and Congress in Tamil Nadu, implying that the Election Commission was acting favourably towards the DMK—an assertion that has also raised questions given the DMK’s open political attacks on the BJP-led Centre.
Another view cited in the report is that the Commission may simply be performing its duties properly in Tamil Nadu, leaving no grounds for complaint. The piece concludes by noting a public hope that all institutions and parties act honestly in the electoral process.
