Calcutta High Court is hearing TMC plea alleging misconduct by police observer in West Bengal elections. Petition under Article 226 filed by Rajeev Kumar questions neutrality of election monitoring process.
The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has moved the Calcutta High Court by filing a writ petition alleging “serious misconduct” by Police Observer Parmar Smit Parshottamdas in relation to the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections. The petition seeks court scrutiny into the officer’s conduct and raises questions about the neutrality of the election monitoring system.
The case has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution by TMC leader Rajeev Kumar, on behalf of the party. It concerns the 142-Magrahat Paschim Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas, where Gour Ghosh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting.
In its petition, the TMC alleges,
“The present writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed by the Petitioners regarding serious misconduct by Mr Parmar Smit Parshottamdas, IPS, appointed as a Police Observer for the WBLA Elections 2026,”
The petition claims that the officer appointed to ensure impartial supervision of the electoral process—did not uphold the required standards of neutrality.
The TMC further alleges that, despite his role requiring “strict neutrality and independence,” the officer engaged in an undisclosed and unofficial meeting with Gour Ghosh, a BJP candidate from the 142-Magrahat Paschim Assembly Constituency, which falls within his assigned jurisdiction.
The TMC argues that this alleged action seriously compromises the credibility of the electoral oversight mechanism.
The petition also provides background on the officer’s deployment, stating that Parshottamdas had recently replaced Hari Lal Chouhan as Police Observer for four constituencies in South 24 Parganas. It further states that he was allotted official accommodation at the IPS Mess in Alipore, but allegedly “deviated from protocol by staying at Sagarika Tourist Lodge in Diamond Harbour on April 20, 2026, where the alleged meeting took place.” The petition claims that CCTV footage purportedly showing the meeting has been submitted along with the pleadings as supporting material.
Highlighting the wider impact of the allegations, the TMC argues,
“The petitioner contends that such conduct violates established norms governing election observers, undermines the principles of neutrality, transparency, and institutional integrity, and erodes public confidence in the fairness of the electoral process,”
It also asserts that election observers appointed by the Election Commission are expected to act as independent watchdogs to safeguard free and fair elections.
To strengthen its case, the petition further states,
“any engagement with political candidates in a private and undisclosed manner is a grave breach of duty warranting judicial scrutiny.”
The matter is expected to be taken up by the Calcutta High Court, which will examine whether the allegations, if established, amount to violations of constitutional and electoral norms.
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