West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that she will move court on Tuesday against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. She described the SIR exercise as “inhumane” and said it has created fear among people, with some even dying due to anxiety and stress linked to the process.
Allegations Against SIR Process
Banerjee alleged that the electoral roll revision has been conducted with administrative arbitrariness and harassment, including names being “arbitrarily struck off” voter lists without reasonable justification. She stated that this has turned what should be a standard administrative task into a source of panic, especially for elderly and terminally ill citizens.
Fear, Harassment, and Reported Deaths
The CM claimed that the fear induced by the SIR process has led to multiple deaths and hospitalizations among citizens. According to her, many have suffered severe stress while trying to comply with the revision exercise, which has intensified political tensions ahead of the state assembly elections.
Supreme Court Possibility
Mamata Banerjee also indicated that, if necessary, she would take the matter to the Supreme Court, even offering to plead on behalf of affected people herself, as she is a trained lawyer. Her move signals a major escalation in the ongoing dispute over the SIR exercise and its impact on voters.
Political and Electoral Context
This legal challenge comes amid widespread protests and political opposition to the SIR exercise, with critics arguing it could disenfranchise voters and disrupt democratic participation ahead of crucial elections. The CM’s stance has deepened public debate on the fairness and implementation of voter roll revisions.