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Kolkata Studios Host First Police-Secured Film Guild Vote
31 Oct
Summary
- Over 1,000 Tolly technicians voted in a unique police-secured election.
- Actor Mithun Chakraborty enforced strict rules for transparency.
- Elections aim to ensure fair voting and eliminate fake guild members.
In a historic first, Kolkata's film industry conducted a police-secured election for its technicians on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Over 1,017 members of the Tolly community cast their votes within two film studios to elect committee members for five guilds. Actor Mithun Chakraborty enforced strict protocols, remaining outside the studio to ensure voter freedom and process integrity.
This initiative marks a significant shift towards transparency in Tollywood's guild elections. Previously, concerns about fake voters and opaque processes were common. The current elections, adhering to trade union norms, aim to eliminate fraudulent guild cards and ensure only legitimate technicians participate. The entire process is under CCTV surveillance, with ballot sealing and counting also monitored.
Seven guilds have already elected their committee members uncontested. Results for Saturday's voting for other guilds, including the makeup artists' and writers' guilds, were announced the same day. This police-involved, transparent election process has been lauded by industry members as a major improvement, setting a new standard for future polls.
