Kolkata, Feb. 1 -- Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently underway in the state, alleging that the process violates statutory safeguards under election law.
The writ petition, filed on January 28, takes issue with the manner in which the Election Commission of India (ECI) is conducting the revision exercise.
Banerjee has contended that the SIR is being carried out in breach of the Representation of the People Act and the rules framed under it, potentially affecting the integrity of the voter list ahead of future elections.
Prior to moving the apex court, the Chief Minister had written to the Chief Election Commissioner flagging concerns over alleged procedural irregularities. The Trinamool Congress has maintained that the exercise risks large-scale exclusion of genuine voters, particularly in vulnerable sections, without adequate legal backing or transparency.
The issue has already reached the Supreme Court through other channels. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien had earlier filed an application alleging that the ECI was issuing informal and unwritten instructions to electoral officers, raising questions about accountability and uniformity in implementation. The Supreme Court had recently laid down a series of directions to the Election Commission to ensure a fair and transparent verification process, especially for voters placed in the 'logical discrepancy' list after publication of the draft electoral roll. These directions were aimed at preventing arbitrary deletions and ensuring that affected individuals are given a reasonable opportunity to respond. Last week, senior advocate Kapil Sibal orally informed the court that the Election Commission was not adhering to its directions, prompting renewed judicial scrutiny of the ongoing exercise.
Banerjee's petition is expected to bring the broader legality of the SIR process into sharp focus, with implications for electoral administration beyond West Bengal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.