The Supreme Court’s recent directive to deploy serving and retired judicial officers for overseeing claims and objections related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has sparked varied responses from political parties in the state. Union Minister of State and former president of BJP’s West Bengal unit, Sukanta Majumdar, expressed disappointment, labeling the order as a reflection of West Bengal’s failure to conduct the revision peacefully without judicial intervention. He highlighted that while similar exercises are happening in other states, West Bengal stands out due to controversies fueled by the state government and ruling party.
Former president of Congress’ West Bengal unit, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the Apex Court’s intervention wouldn’t have been necessary if the state authorities had not obstructed the SIR process. He criticized the state for repeatedly attracting negative attention under the current administration. On the contrary, the ruling Trinamool Congress welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision. Kalyan Banerjee, a senior advocate and Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member, emphasized that the order challenges the Chief Election Commissioner’s authority, indicating a shift in power dynamics regarding SIR-related matters.
In contrast, Youth CPI(M) leader Satarup Ghosh refrained from directly commenting on the Supreme Court’s order. He emphasized the importance of transparent adjudication by judicial officers overseeing the revision process to ensure the integrity of voter lists. Ghosh stressed the need to safeguard genuine voters’ rights while preventing the inclusion of fake voters. The diverse reactions reflect the complex dynamics surrounding the electoral rolls revision in West Bengal.
