TMC moves Supreme Court against appointment of central govt staff as supervisors for counting day

The plea is scheduled to come up for hearing on Saturday, May 2, 2026 before a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi.

New Delhi: West Bengal's ruling party, All India Trinamool Congress has filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging Calcutta High Court's April 30, 2026 order, which declined to interfere with the decision to appoint central government staff as supervisor and assistant during the counting of votes of Assembly polls scheduled on May 4, 2026.

The plea, also questioning exclusion of State government employees as counting supervisors and assistants, is scheduled to come up for hearing on Saturday, May 2, 2026 before a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi.

The petitioner is aggrieved with the order issued by Additional Chief Electoral Officer for lacking jurisdiction to issue such an order.

The plea contended the direction issued by the officer went against the EC's handbook, which did not required used of central government staff for the roles.

Though micro-observers are required to be central government or PSU employees, extending this requirement to counting supervisors and assistants was arbitrary and unique to West Bengal, the plea contended.

It also contended since the central government is controlled by a political party, central employees may be susceptible to influence, affecting the level playing field.

The plea sought a stay on the High Court's April 30, 2026 judgment and the April 13, 2026 communication. In the alternative, it also sought a direction to deploy both central and state government employees as counting supervisors and assistants at each counting table.

The plea also sought a direction to preserve CCTV footage of all counting rooms during the pendency of the proceedings.