A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of UP‑cadre IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma as a police / election observer in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, alleging that his conduct has compromised the neutrality expected of an Election Commission‑appointed observer. The petition, filed under Article 32 by advocate Aditya Das, asks the Court to strike down Sharma’s deployment and ensure that observers remain impartial constitutional functionaries during the polls.
The petitioner argues that since Sharma was posted in South 24 Parganas, he has engaged in acts of intimidation and undue influence, particularly targeting political candidates and their families. Videos showing him reading the riot act to relatives of a Trinamool Congress candidate in Falta have gone viral, and the PIL contends that such behaviour vitally undermines the level‑playing field and erodes public confidence in free and fair elections. The plea cites Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which envisages observers as neutral watchdogs over the electoral process, and claims Sharma’s “partisan” style stands in stark violation of that role.
The Calcutta High Court had earlier refused to entertain a similar challenge, saying it could not interfere with the ongoing election process, pushing the matter to the Supreme Court. The PIL now urges the apex Court to intervene before the second‑and‑final phase of voting in 142 West Bengal constituencies and the subsequent counting, emphasising that the integrity of the electoral‑observer mechanism is a core element of India’s democratic architecture. The case is docketed as Aditya Das v. Election Commission of India (Diary No. 26135/2026).
