Congress alleges irregularities in Kolkata Municipal Corporation's delimitation and booth maps

The West Bengal Congress has alleged serious discrepancies in the ward delimitation and booth maps carried out by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). Ahead of the upcoming local body elections, the party has written to the State Chief Electoral Officer, the State Election Commission, and the Municipal Commissioner demanding immediate corrections in these matters.

In the letter written by Ashutosh Chatterjee, West Bengal State President and General Secretary of the Congress, it is stated that incorrect maps were used by the concerned hearing officers when objections were raised by the party during the delimitation process. The party has questioned why incorrect maps were used during the hearing process. According to the party, such methods lead to 'fabrication' and suggest hidden motives behind the process.

Drawing attention to the facts, the Congress has alleged that new maps were subsequently sent to the officers conducting hearings on booth-related objections and the draft electoral roll. This renders the list published by the KMC on August 22, 2026, invalid. The party further stated that they were not informed about these changes. It is claimed that due to discrepancies in booth details across several wards, the party lost the opportunity to appeal, thereby damaging the democratic process.

The letter further added that an immediate review of ward boundaries is necessary as the maps are not accurate and need to be updated. Ashutosh Chatterjee has also demanded to be informed of the outcomes of the claims and objections previously submitted by the party, as no response has been received so far. According to a report by The Hindu, Chatterjee stated that changes were made to the parts included or removed in various wards even after the draft was shared. He also questioned the basis of the maps and said that the entire hearing process was fake, due to which the party's objections were never addressed. This is a serious matter and could erode public trust in the process.

Chatterjee further added that they no longer have any official time remaining to file claims and objections, as the deadline expired before complete information regarding the delimitation process was received. Previously, the State Congress leadership had also written to the authorities to restore the names of 1.59 lakh deleted voters in the Kolkata and Howrah Municipal Corporation areas.

In the notification issued by the KMC on August 22, a draft list of 209 wards was published instead of 144 wards, but the final list of wards has not yet been declared. Local elections are likely to be held in the Kolkata and Howrah Municipalities in the next few weeks, although no date has been announced yet.