The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal alleging that Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has issued threats to Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

The TMC demanded that the CEO direct police to register an FIR against Adhikari for criminal intimidation.

Senior TMC leader and West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas, in a letter to the CEO on Friday, alleged that Adhikari, during a recent press interaction, had openly threatened BLOs with imprisonment if they did not comply with his instructions.

Calling Adhikari's comments a "brazen act of intimidation" against government officials engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the TMC said such statements "undermine free and fair conduct of elections" and amount to criminal intimidation under Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The TMC urged the CEO to issue protective measures for BLOs and other election functionaries from political harassment during the SIR process.

The TMC also demanded that the Election Commission issue a directive warning all political parties that any attempt to intimidate election officials will invite criminal sanction.

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