West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in the state. This move comes just weeks before the final voter lists are due on February 14, ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
In her petition, Banerjee named the Election Commission and the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer as respondents. She claimed that the SIR process was unfair, unlawful, and biased, violating election laws. The CM expressed concern that genuine voters could be wrongly left out, affecting the upcoming elections.
Banerjee described the voter list update as a “backdoor” attempt similar to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). She highlighted the difficulties faced by certain groups, including the elderly, women who changed surnames after marriage, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities.
She also raised issues with the way the revision was carried out. Banerjee pointed out errors in digitizing old voter data, strict procedures for hearings, and the use of WhatsApp instructions for officials, which she said caused confusion and hardship. She added that around 8,100 micro-observers were appointed without proper authority, undermining the work of election officers.
The CM also mentioned that more than 140 deaths had occurred due to stress and complications linked to the revision process. She urged the Supreme Court to pause the SIR exercise to prevent further difficulties for voters.
The Election Commission, however, defended the process, saying the revision was legal and necessary. It argued that SIR helps remove duplicate and fake entries from voter lists, ensuring accurate and credible rolls ahead of elections. The commission denied any bias or irregularities.
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