The Election Commission on Thursday asked the Murshidabad district election officer (DEO) to lodge an FIR against Trinamool Congress MLA Manirul Islam for his alleged role in the vandalism of the SIR hearing centre at Farakka and the manhandling of the electoral registration officer on January 14. Although the DEO was asked to send a compliance report by 5pm on Thursday, no FIR had been filed. This makes it clear that the BJP and the Trinamool Congress have a political understanding or setting in Bengal," said Hasanujjaman, Congress spokesperson. So, the FIR against the MLA would force him and other leaders to think twice before ransacking hearing centres," said a bureaucrat. Manirul told The Telegraph that he was not aware that the EC had asked the administration to lodge an FIR against him.

Source: The Telegraph January 23, 2026 17:21 UTC