Ahead of the Supreme Court’s hearing on challenges to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a plea requesting the Court to prevent the Election Commission of India from removing any voter’s name during the ongoing exercise. Banerjee expressed concerns about potential disenfranchisement due to the Commission’s actions, citing circulars sent to voters for minor discrepancies in their applications.
In her application, Banerjee has asked for immediate measures to ensure voter list integrity and protect voting rights until the legal process concludes. She also called for the acceptance of various documents for voter verification, including Aadhaar, residence certificates, and other official papers issued by state authorities. The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions challenging the revision process on February 4.
Banerjee’s petition questions the legality of the revision exercise and accuses the Election Commission of bias and authoritarian behavior. She fears that the current process could lead to the disenfranchisement of numerous voters, especially from marginalized communities. Describing the situation as concerning for democracy, Banerjee seeks the Court’s intervention to uphold voting rights and electoral process integrity.
