The Supreme Court is set to hear West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. This revision is part of preparations for the upcoming state elections. The petition questions the Election Commission of India’s handling of the voter revision process, alleging potential deletion of marginalized voters’ names.
The Chief Justice of India, along with other justices, will address Banerjee’s plea and similar ones filed by Trinamool Congress MPs on February 9. Banerjee’s petition seeks to prevent the deletion of voters’ names during the SIR process, especially those categorized under “logical discrepancy.” The court had previously issued notice to the ECI and scheduled further hearings.
Banerjee raised concerns over the impact on voters like women changing surnames post-marriage and those relocating. She criticized the alleged selective targeting of West Bengal, contrasting it with the situation in Northeastern states. The Supreme Court assured a practical resolution, emphasizing the protection of genuine voters’ rights.
The West Bengal government offered Group-B officers for the remaining SIR process and emphasized the need for Bengali-speaking officers to avoid language-related issues. The ECI clarified the validity of identity documents, leading to objections from the ruling Trinamool Congress. Banerjee accused the ECI of rejecting valid documents to potentially remove genuine voters from the list.
