West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Slams Election Commission Over SIR, Flags Voter Anxiety Ahead of Polls
As West Bengal moves closer to a crucial Assembly election year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a sharp and emotional critique of the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has caused widespread fear, distress, and disenfranchisement among voters in the state. Speaking at a public event marking the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Kolkata, the Chief Minister framed the issue as not merely administrative, but deeply linked to identity, dignity, and democratic rights.
What Is the Special Intensive Revision?
The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission to verify and update electoral rolls, aimed at removing duplicate or ineligible entries while ensuring accuracy ahead of elections. Such revisions are periodically undertaken across states, particularly before major polls. However, the process in West Bengal has triggered controversy, with the state government alleging that its implementation has disproportionately affected genuine voters.
According to the Chief Minister, a large number of electors have been issued notices or summoned for hearings due to what the Commission terms “logical discrepancies” in their records. These include variations in surnames, age details of parents, or missing linkages in documentation.
Allegations of Mass Deletions and Public Distress
Banerjee claimed that the scale of the SIR exercise in West Bengal was unprecedented. She stated that around 1.38 crore people have been asked to appear for hearings, while approximately 58 lakh names have already been removed from draft electoral rolls. The total number of affected voters, she alleged, could be close to two crore.
Raising serious concerns, the Chief Minister said the process had created intense anxiety among citizens, particularly the elderly, women, and marginalised communities. She alleged that more than 110 deaths had occurred since the exercise began, with several linked to extreme stress and fear surrounding the verification process. While these claims have not been independently verified, Banerjee demanded accountability from both the Election Commission and the central government.
“After fighting for independence and democratic rights, do people still need to prove whether they are voters of India?” she asked, questioning the intent and sensitivity of the exercise.
Cultural Identity and Surname Disputes
A major point of contention raised by the Chief Minister was the handling of surnames and naming conventions, which she said reflected a lack of understanding of Bengal’s social and cultural practices. She cited examples of women voters whose names changed after marriage and individuals who use different surnames in English and Bengali.
“In Bengal, it is natural for names and surnames to vary across languages or after marriage,” she said, adding that women were facing a higher risk of deletions because of such discrepancies. She alleged that under the guise of technical mismatches, women voters were being unfairly targeted.
Reference to Netaji’s Family Draws Attention
The controversy gained further prominence after a notice was issued to Chandra Kumar Bose, a grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, over discrepancies in his electoral records. Referring to this, Banerjee remarked that even Netaji himself would have been summoned had he been alive today, underscoring what she described as the excessive and insensitive nature of the process.
She also mentioned cases involving elderly citizens and tribal voters, claiming that some were being asked to produce documents such as parents’ birth certificates, which are often unavailable given historical and socio-economic realities.
Political Reactions and Counterclaims
The issue has taken on a clear political dimension. Opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have rejected the Chief Minister’s allegations, asserting that the SIR is a routine and legally mandated process conducted by the Election Commission, an independent constitutional body.
BJP leaders have accused the state government of politicising an administrative exercise to create confusion ahead of elections. They argue that verifying electoral rolls is essential to prevent bogus voting and ensure free and fair polls. The party has also questioned the state government’s claims regarding deaths and large-scale deletions, calling for factual clarity.
Election Commission Yet to Respond in Detail
At the time of writing, the Election Commission has not issued a detailed public response addressing the specific allegations raised by the Chief Minister regarding stress-related deaths or targeted deletions. The Commission has consistently maintained that all revisions are conducted as per established guidelines, with adequate opportunities for citizens to raise objections and seek corrections.
A Growing Flashpoint Ahead of Elections
The SIR controversy has emerged as a significant flashpoint in West Bengal’s already charged political environment. For the ruling Trinamool Congress, the issue is being projected as a fight to protect voters’ rights and state identity. For the opposition, it is framed as an attempt to undermine a constitutional process.
As the revision of electoral rolls continues, the manner in which concerns are addressed—both administratively and politically—will be closely watched. With elections on the horizon, restoring public confidence in the electoral process may prove as important as the process itself.
