India, Nov. 30 -- The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday firmly rebuffed allegations from a Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation and urged the party to cease interference in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal and extend full cooperation instead.

In a pointed rebuttal during a nearly two-hour meeting with the 10-member TMC team led by Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien, the ECI dismissed claims of over 40 SIR-linked deaths as "baseless" and accused TMC workers of threatening Booth Level Officers (BLO).

The poll panel also appointed retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta as Special Roll Observer for West Bengal to ensure transparency and accuracy in the exercise, which is underway across 12 states...