January 19, 2026 Times of Dakshin Dinajpur
Kamal Kumar Biswas Senior Correspondent
Political tensions erupted on Monday at the Balurghat Sub-Divisional Officer’s office as rival parties clashed over the submission of “Form Seven” applications, forcing authorities to suspend the process and deploy a heavy police presence to maintain law and order.
The situation escalated when senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Shubhendu Sarkar, the state president of the party’s OBC Morcha, district vice-president Purnima Mahanta, and Balurghat town president Samir Prasad Dutta, arrived at the SDO’s office to submit multiple forms on behalf of individuals they claimed were “non-existent/Bangladeshi infiltrators”.
At the same time, leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), including Balurghat town president Subhas Chaki and municipal chairman Surajit Saha, were present at the office. BJP leaders accused TMC workers of deliberately obstructing the submission process by occupying the SDM’s chamber for an extended period, thereby preventing opposition representatives from filing their applications.The TMC, however, rejected the allegations, arguing that electoral rules permit only one form per individual and that bulk submissions by a single person are not allowed.
With both sides refusing to back down, the administration temporarily halted the acceptance of Form Seven submissions. To prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, a large contingent of police was deployed under the leadership of DSP Headquarters Bikram Prasad.Senior leaders from both parties later addressed the media, maintaining their respective positions, as the standoff underscored the growing political friction in the region ahead of key electoral processes.
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