Hitting out at the Election Commission, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) alleged that poll officials were continuing to flout Supreme Court directives by issuing directions to their subordinates through WhatsApp during the SIR exercise in West Bengal.
Sharing purported screenshots of a WhatsApp group chat on X, Mr. Banerjee said the Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasised transparency, due process, and adherence to official channels of communication.
Why did ECI appoint micro observers in Bengal when State has the lowest voter deletions in SIR, asks Abhishek Banerjee
"Yet we are witnessing instructions being circulated over WhatsApp rather than through formal, traceable, and accountable mechanisms," he said.
He also questioned instructions sent by Special Roll Observer C. Murugan directly to micro observers.
