The Supreme Court will hear Mamata Banerjee’s plea challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal, amid allegations of political bias against the Election Commission and concerns over voter disenfranchisement.
The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear on Wednesday a batch of petitions challenging the legality and execution of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently underway in West Bengal. Among the petitions is a plea filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of political bias and authoritarian conduct in carrying out the revision exercise.
According to the cause list published on the official website of the apex court, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Panchol, will take up the matter for hearing on February 4. The petitions raise significant constitutional questions concerning the conduct of electoral roll revisions and their potential impact on democratic participation.
In her petition, Chief Minister Banerjee has questioned the legal validity of the SIR process, arguing that the manner in which it is being conducted poses a serious risk of disenfranchising a large number of voters. She has specifically warned that lakhs of eligible voters, particularly from marginalised and vulnerable communities, could be struck off the rolls due to procedural irregularities and administrative overreach.
The Chief Minister has alleged that the Election Commission, a constitutional authority expected to function with neutrality and independence, has adopted a politically motivated approach in West Bengal. In her plea, Banerjee stated that the actions of the poll body have reached a stage that is “extremely worrying for any democratic society,” undermining public trust in the electoral process.
Seeking urgent judicial intervention, Banerjee has urged the Supreme Court to issue appropriate directions to the Election Commission to ensure transparency, fairness, and constitutional compliance in the SIR exercise. She has also requested safeguards to prevent arbitrary deletion of voter names during the revision process.
Earlier, senior leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress had also approached the Supreme Court challenging the same exercise. Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra, along with Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen, filed separate petitions on behalf of the party, contending that the SIR process in West Bengal is being carried out in a discriminatory and selective manner.
These petitions have also been listed before the same Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, highlighting the growing political and legal contest surrounding the revision of electoral rolls in the state. The matter has gained national attention due to its implications for electoral integrity and federal relations.
The issue gained further prominence after Banerjee met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi earlier this week. During the meeting, she raised strong objections to the conduct of the SIR exercise and sought clarity on the rationale behind what she described as extraordinary measures being implemented in West Bengal.
Following the meeting, the Chief Minister made sharp public remarks against the Chief Election Commissioner, accusing him of arrogance and alleging that West Bengal was being targeted under political pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party. She claimed that genuine voters’ names were being deleted on a large scale from the draft electoral rolls.
Banerjee also alleged that special electoral roll observers and micro-observers had been deployed exclusively in West Bengal, a move she said reinforced fears of selective scrutiny and undue interference in the state’s electoral administration.
The Election Commission, however, has firmly rejected the allegations. Sources within the poll body stated that the Chief Election Commissioner made it clear during the meeting that the SIR exercise is being conducted strictly in accordance with the law. The ECI maintained that the rule of law must prevail and that any form of obstruction, pressure, or interference in the revision process would not be tolerated.
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The poll body has also flagged reported incidents of threats and vandalism involving electoral officials during the ongoing revision, asserting that ensuring the safety of officials and the integrity of the process remains a top priority.
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear the matter, the outcome is expected to have far-reaching implications for electoral governance, voter rights, and the balance of powers between constitutional authorities and elected governments.
