In TMC’s challenge to deploy only Central government employees as vote counting supervisors for the assembly elections in West Bengal, Supreme Court asks ECI to follow its own circular "in letter and spirit" which typically allow for a mix of State and Central personnel to be appointed as vote counting supervisors.
The All India Trinamool Congress filed a Special Leave Petition (Diary No. 26799/2026) before the Supreme Court of India challenging implementation of an Election Commission communication dated 13 April 2026.
The dispute concerns the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, where it was alleged that only Central Government/PSU employees were being, potentially affecting balance in the counting process.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Meenakshi Arora argued that staff selection must follow a randomisation process as outlined in the communication.
The Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication must be read together with provisions on the second page, which mandate random selection from both State and Central Government employees.
The Court recorded an undertaking from Election Commission of India (through senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu) that the guidelines will be implemented fully.
The issue had earlier been challenged before the Calcutta High Court, which dismissed the petition on 30 April 2026.
The outcome implies that counting staff deployment must follow a mixed, randomised selection process to ensure procedural balance.