The Aryavarth Express In a rare and significant development in Indian political and legal history, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally appeared before the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday to challenge the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out in her state — an exercise she argues is systematically deleting voters, particularly ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
Banerjee’s decision to come to the Supreme Court and potentially argue her own case — a first for a sitting chief minister — underscores the intensity of the dispute over the SIR process and the broader political stakes involved.
Allegations of Targeted Voter Deletions
At the heart of Banerjee’s appeal to the apex court is a sharp critique of how the Election Commission of India (ECI) has conducted the SIR in West Bengal. She contends that the exercise, which was initiated in November 2025 and culminated in a draft electoral roll published in December, has been used for mass deletions of voter names rather than the stated aim of updating rolls for accuracy and inclusion.
Banerjee alleged that West Bengal has been “targeted” for these deletions, questioning why the SIR was being implemented on the eve of elections when such exercises typically take years to complete. She pointed out that the process was compressed into a few months during critical seasons such as harvest time and widespread travel, making it inconvenient and burdensome for ordinary voters.
She also raised specific concerns about demographic groups, noting that women who change surnames after marriage and economically disadvantaged residents have seen their names dropped from the rolls due to “unplanned errors” and mismatches.
Demand to Use Existing Voter List
In her plea before the Supreme Court, Banerjee urged that the existing 2025 voter list be retained for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. Her submission called for a stay on changes introduced under the ongoing SIR and argued that many eligible voters risk being disenfranchised if the revision proceeds without modifications.
She also pointed to procedural issues, such as the issuance of notices for insignificant discrepancies like spelling errors or minor variations in personal details, which have added to public confusion and distrust of the process.
Criticism of the Election Commission and Broader Accusations
Banerjee’s critique has extended beyond court submissions to public accusations against the Election Commission itself. She has described the body dismissively as a “WhatsApp Commission” and alleged that the use of advanced tools, including artificial intelligence, aimed at identifying mismatches has resulted in the deletion of names of genuine voters — assertions she says reflect deeper bias and procedural flaws.
The chief minister has also questioned why the SIR exercise was conducted in West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu but not in some other states, including parts of the Northeast, raising suspicions of selective application.
Response from the Supreme Court and Legal Process
During Wednesday’s hearing, the Supreme Court acknowledged Mamata Banerjee’s submissions and issued a formal notice to the Election Commission, asking it to file a response by February 10, 2026.
The court’s engagement reflects recognition of the legal and constitutional questions at stake, including the interpretation of electoral law and the rights of voters under India’s democratic framework.
Political Context and Public Impact
The dispute over the SIR in West Bengal has already had a wider political impact. Mamata Banerjee and her party contend that significant numbers of voters — running into tens of lakhs — have been removed or designated as “mismatches” or “disputed”, which could potentially affect election outcomes. She has linked the controversy to broader anxieties about voter rights and democratic representation.
Conversely, the Election Commission has countered in court filings that the revision process is being hampered by misinformation and hostility, including alleged intimidation of polling officials — framing the issue as one of administrative legitimacy rather than political targeting.
Historic Significance and What Comes Next
Mamata Banerjee’s in-person presence in the Supreme Court marks an unusual moment in Indian politics, symbolising the gravity with which the West Bengal government views the SIR controversy. Legal experts say the case could set important precedents regarding electoral roll revisions, voter rights and the balance of powers between state governments and constitutional bodies like the Election Commission.
As deliberations continue and the ECI prepares its formal reply, all eyes will be on how the Supreme Court navigates these competing claims — weighing procedural fairness against broader concerns about democratic inclusion and electoral integrity.
