Kolkata: The West Bengal Chief Electoral officer's (WB-CEO's) office will accept objections from political parties over booth bifurcation till September 8.

At a meeting called by WB-CEO Manoj Agarwal on Friday to discuss the proposed reorganisation of polling stations for the assembly polls in 2026, all major political parties expressed their disgruntlement over the issue. "Objections can be submitted by the political parties till September 8 within 5:00 pm," Agarwal said.

The state is likely to get nearly 13,816 additional polling booths for the 2026 polls, up from the 87,681 at present.

The Trinamool Congress and the Congress also protested the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state and said that it should not be allowed.

BJP raised objections over more than 40% booth level officers (BLOs) being recruited from among temporary staff when "the state government has five times more officials in permanent posts". "Didn't the AEROs and EROs not notice this? Why has this been done," BJP leader Sisir Bajoria who led his party team asked, adding that he will take up the matter with ECI.

However, a top official said there are EC guidelines on hiring temporary staff. "Out of a total 97,000 booths, there may be 1,000 booths where temporary BLOs have been recruited," the official said.

Emphasising that the ECI should maintain impartiality, Trinamool minister Aroop Biswas said, "Earlier, in a booth, 1,500 people could cast their votes. Now, it will be 1,200. We have no objections to that but the remaining 300 voters must be able to cast their votes in nearby booths, which should be within 2 km."

Opposing the SIR, Biswas, who was part of a three-member TMC delegation, said, "In the name of SIR, no one should be deprived of voting while no one political party should be benefitted. If need be, we will take out a Delhi March with 10 lakh people as said by our party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee."

Congress representative Asutosh Chatterjee too said his party was against the SIR.

BJP's Bajoria said reports about no objections to booth bifurcation were fake. He said, "The main issue of discussion (at the CEO meeting) was rationalisation of polling booths. We received a link from the CEO's office in all 24 districts which showed that the DEOs (who are DMs) of all districts had not received any objections from any political parties. These reports are absolutely fake and the attendance sheet attached is also fake."

CPM leader Samik Lahiri also claimed that the DEOs (DMs) had submitted false reports. With political parties being given time till September 8, Lahiri said the reason for rejection or acceptance should be mentioned in their replies. "How can free and fair polls take place with such partial and biased district and block administration," he asked.