In a move that has intensified the political atmosphere in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a strong attack against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of attempting to disenfranchise genuine voters through the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Banerjee has alleged serious procedural lapses and a deliberate attempt to delete names of eligible voters under the pretext of "logical discrepancies".
Banerjee's allegations center around the SIR process, which involves digitizing the 2002 voters' list using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. She claims that this process has led to serious errors in elector details, resulting in large-scale data mismatches and the wrongful categorization of genuine voters. According to Banerjee, the EC is disregarding corrections made over the last two decades through statutory and quasi-judicial processes, forcing voters to re-establish their identity.
In her fifth letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Banerjee highlighted several issues, including the non-issuance of acknowledgement receipts for documents submitted during hearings. She argues that this lack of documentation could further marginalize genuine electors and lead to exclusion. She also criticized the manner in which hearings are being conducted, stating that the process has become "largely mechanical," driven purely by technical data without adequate human judgment.
Banerjee has also raised concerns about the treatment of women voters, noting that women who have shifted to their matrimonial homes and changed their surnames after marriage are being questioned and summoned for hearings to prove their identity. She views this as a grave insult to women and genuine voters, reflecting a complete lack of social sensitivity.
The Chief Minister has claimed that the SIR exercise has already resulted in 77 deaths, four suicide attempts, and several hospitalizations, attributing these incidents to fear, intimidation, and an excessive workload on field staff. She has also alleged that Booth Level Officers are under extreme stress, with confusion among voters compounding the pressure.
Banerjee has announced her intention to approach the Supreme Court over what she terms the "inhumane treatment" of citizens during the SIR process. She has also accused the EC of illegally using mobile applications developed by the BJP's IT cell to conduct the SIR. The BJP has rejected these charges as baseless and politically motivated.
The Election Commission has faced mounting criticism over the SIR, with concerns raised about an over-reliance on software-generated "logical discrepancies". Initially, nearly 1.36 crore voters in West Bengal were flagged by the software for these discrepancies. While the EC has not officially acknowledged over-reliance on software, it has intensified internal monitoring of its officials and instructed that no notice should be issued to a voter without prior document review and field-level verification. The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Election Commission on pleas alleging arbitrariness and procedural irregularities in the SIR.
Meanwhile, the ECI has announced a relaxation in the hearing process for overseas voters, who are no longer required to appear in person for hearings related to unmapped cases or logical discrepancies. An authorized family member may appear on their behalf to submit the necessary documentation.
