The Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation led by senior leader Kalyan Banerjee on Monday submitted its response to the Election Commission (EC) here. The party asserted that that its existing leadership remains constitutionally valid till 2027 and accused the rival faction of misreading its constitution and making a false claim.
The development comes after the EC last week issued notices to the rival factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee. The poll panel issued the notice following Ritabrata’s petition seeking recognition as the ‘real’ Trinamool Congress. The EC directed both sides to submit detailed replies by 5.30 pm on July 6.
Speaking to reporters after submitting the party’s response at the Election Commission’s office, Kalyan Banerjee accompanied by Mahua Moitra and Sagarika Ghosh said the party had filed a comprehensive reply addressing every allegation raised by the rival faction.
“Today, we have filed our response which was sought by the EC on the basis of a representation made by Ritabrata Banerjee, the alleged secretary of the alleged TMC. We have given a very detailed reply on that,” Kalyan said.
He said the rival faction’s primary contention was that the tenure of the AITC committee and the National Working Committee was limited to three years and had consequently expired in 2025, rendering the current leadership invalid.
Rejecting the claim, Kalyan said when the West Bengal Trinamool Congress was first registered as a political party in 1998, the tenure of the Working Committee and the AITC committee was indeed three years.
However, he said that after the party was converted into the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in 2000 and the amended constitution was approved by the EC, the tenure was extended to four years. A subsequent constitutional amendment in 2006 further increased the tenure to five years, a change that was formally communicated to the EC.
He argued that the Commission has since recognised the five-year tenure and has consistently directed the party to conduct its organisational elections within that period.
“The last election was held in 2022. Therefore, automatically the life of the AITC and the National Working Committee remains for a period of five years. It will expire in 2027. Therefore, the first allegation that the life is no longer there is incorrect and not supported by the constitutional provisions of the AITC,” he said.
