The TMC had argued that excluding state government nominees could affect neutrality, but the court upheld the EC’s authority to choose its own officials.
BY PC Bureau
May 2, 2026: The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to step in on the Election Commission’s decision to deploy only central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) personnel as counting supervisors and assistants for the West Bengal vote count on May 4, handing a setback to the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The TMC had moved the apex court seeking inclusion of state government nominees as counting supervisors, arguing that exclusive reliance on central government staff could compromise neutrality and tilt the playing field.
Rejecting the plea, the court said the Election Commission is empowered to choose its own officials and found no grounds to strike down its April 13 circular. It added that no further directions were required, recording the Commission’s assurance that the guidelines would be followed in full.
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The Election Commission told the court that the system is designed to maintain balance: where a supervisor is from the central government, the assistant will be from the state government, ensuring at least one state official is present at every counting table.
In the wake of the court’s remarks, the TMC recalibrated its stance and called for strict implementation of the same circular, emphasising the need to include state government personnel as provided.
The court’s decision is likely to reinforce the Election Commission’s autonomy in managing electoral processes, especially in sensitive phases such as vote counting. Legal observers noted that the judgment underscores the principle that administrative decisions of the poll body should not be easily interfered with unless clear evidence of bias or illegality is established, setting a precedent for similar disputes in future elections.
