Mamata Banerjee Accuses Election Commission of Voter Exclusion Through SIR Exercise
Mamata Banerjee writes to CEC accusing SIR of electoral rolls as voter exclusion drive with political bias.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being used to exclude voters rather than update or correct records. In a detailed three-page letter, she accused the Election Commission of high-handedness and political bias during the ongoing exercise.
Banerjee described the hearing process as “largely mechanical,” driven solely by technical data and lacking any application of judgment, sensitivity, or human consideration. She argued that the exercise’s intent appeared to focus on deletion and exclusion rather than voter inclusion or correction, raising serious concerns about fairness and transparency.
Highlighting the hardships faced by ordinary citizens, Banerjee noted that minor discrepancies in spelling or age were triggering coercive hearings, resulting in harassment and loss of wages. She also stressed that women who had changed surnames after marriage were being summoned to prove their identity, calling it a “grave insult” and an unnecessary bureaucratic burden.
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The Chief Minister expressed concern over the selective targeting of certain constituencies, the use of a different portal in West Bengal, and backend changes that were causing confusion among election officials. She suggested that these practices could systematically disenfranchise eligible voters ahead of upcoming elections.
Banerjee urged the Election Commission to review its approach to the SIR exercise, emphasizing that voter inclusion and record correction should remain the primary objectives. She called for greater transparency, sensitivity, and uniformity in handling discrepancies to ensure that no eligible voter is unfairly removed from the rolls.
The letter adds to ongoing tensions between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission, highlighting the contentious nature of electoral roll revisions in India. Observers say the issue could have broader political implications, especially ahead of high-stakes state and national elections.
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