New Delhi, February 4: The Supreme Court will hear several petitions challenging the validity of the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of the voter list in West Bengal on Wednesday. Among these petitions is one filed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who accuses the Election Commission of India (ECI) of political bias and adopting a dictatorial approach in conducting the SIR.
According to the cause list uploaded on the Supreme Court’s website, a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, will preside over the hearing.
In her petition, Chief Minister Banerjee questions the legitimacy of the SIR process, alleging that the manner in which it is being conducted could disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly those from marginalized communities.
Banerjee’s petition claims that the ECI is acting with political motives, stating that a constitutional body expected to uphold fairness and democratic values has reached a point that is “extremely concerning for any democratic society.”
She has requested the Supreme Court to intervene directly in the matter and provide appropriate directions to the Election Commission.
Previously, Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra, Derek O’Brien, and Dola Sen had also approached the Supreme Court to challenge the SIR process in West Bengal on behalf of the ruling party. Their petitions have also been listed for hearing before the bench led by CJI Chandrachud on Tuesday.
This development is significant as Mamata Banerjee had expressed her objections regarding the SIR during a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the ECI headquarters in New Delhi on Monday.
Following the meeting, the Chief Minister made sharp accusations against the CEC, labeling him as “arrogant” and alleging that he was targeting West Bengal at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Banerjee also claimed that genuine voters’ names have been systematically removed from the draft voter list and asserted that special election roll observers and micro-observers have been appointed exclusively for West Bengal to oversee the revision process.
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