CEC said 'get lost', Derek O'Brien accused of ‘shouting’: TMC vs EC episode explained

The latest verbal spat between the two sides unfolded even as EC sources accused TMC leader Derek O'Brien of shouting at the the election commissioners.

Updated on: Apr 9, 2026, 05:32:51 IST

Edited by Majid Alam

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The ongoing tensions between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) escalated on Wednesday after a meeting between the two sides ended on an acrimonious note, leaving TMC leaders fuming.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien addresses the media after a meeting between TMC delegation and the Election Commission of India, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo/Jitender Gupta) (Jitender Gupta)

A TMC delegation, comprising Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien, deputy leader Sagarika Ghose, MPs Saket Gokhale and Menaka Guruswamy, met the full bench of Election Commission ahead of the assembly elections.

The TMC arrived at the poll body office at 10 am and the meeting began with the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and both Election Commissioners.

Also Read: ‘Release the transcript’: Derek O’Brien challenges EC over ‘get lost’ remark row

Following the conclusion of the meeting, the Trinamool leaders alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner asked them to "get lost" and the commission accusing them of "shouting".

Here is all that happened on Wednesday:

What TMC leaders said: Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien said that the delegation handed over nine letters written by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, which the MP said have not been acknowledged. The leaders also apprised the EC of specific instances showing certain poll officials' alleged links with the BJP and demanded that they be transferred. "Then he said, 'Get lost'. We have done eight to nine meetings with the Election Commission. Apart from the CEC, none of the other election commissioners spoke," O'Brien said.
What led to the TMC vs EC: The latest verbal spat between the two sides unfolded even as sources in the poll body accused TMC leader Derek O'Brien of shouting at the election commissioners. "The CEC requested Derek O'Brien to maintain decorum in the commission room. Shouting and indecent behaviour are not appropriate," PTI cited EC sources as saying. The report, citing a source present at the meeting, said as soon as the TMC delegation entered the meeting, the CEC pointed out the absence of their authorised representative, to which O'Brien asked if they were "unauthorised" and should leave.

Also Read: Asked to 'get lost': Trinamool's big claim on meeting with ECI; Derek O'Brien accused of shouting

What Election Commission said: The poll body accused the TMC leaders of "shouting" and said it will ensure free and fair elections in the state. In a post on X, the EC said it gave a "straight-talk" to the TMC delegation. EC said it told the TMC that "this time, the elections in West Bengal would surely be: fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, inducement-free and without any ‘chappa, booth-jamming and source-jamming’".
Mamata to oppose voter deletions in court: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the TMC will move a court again to resist the removal of electors from the rolls. The remarks came after nearly 91 lakh voters' names were deleted from the electoral rolls following the SIR. "You will not be able to defeat the TMC by deleting names. We will move a court again to resist the exclusion of names," Banerjee said.

The elections are set to be held in West Bengal on April 23 and 29, while the counting scheduled on May 4.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Majid Alam
Majid Alam is a Chief Content Producer working at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. He currently heads shifts at online desk and manages homepage apart from writing, editing and curating articles. With over six years of experience in journalism, Majid has navigated national, politics and international news. His work primarily focuses on the politics of the Hindi heartland, government policies, and South Asia. He also writes on US and Europe’s policies vis-à-vis India. Before joining Hindustan Times, Majid worked at ABP LIVE as the Chief Copy Editor and at News18, where he managed the World and Explainers sections. His articles have featured in Dialogue Earth, The Quint, BMJ, The Diplomat, and Outlook India. Majid has a keen interest in the use of data for storytelling. Majid holds a Masters in Convergent Journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia. He was awarded the Erasmus+ scholarship to study International Affairs at Sciences Po, Paris in 2020. He is also part of the OCEANS Network, an alumni network of Erasmus+ exchange scholars. He is currently serving as the National Representative (India) at the OCEANS Network. Apart from journalism, Majid has a flair for academic writing and loves to teach. He has published a book chapter: 'Bombay Cinema and Postmodernism' in the book: 'Handbook of Research on Social and Cultural Dynamics in Indian Cinema.' He was also part of the OCEANS Network delegation to Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam in 2025. He has also given guest lecture in digital journalism at AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.