West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has intensified her opposition to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court.
The petition, lodged on Sunday (February 1, 2026), names the ECI and the state’s Chief Electoral Officer as respondents.
This marks the second legal challenge on the issue, following an earlier plea by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Mahua Moitra, Derek O’Brien, and Dola Sen, which is slated for hearing this week.
In her petition, Banerjee accuses the ECI of political bias, adopting an authoritarian approach, and deviating from expected impartiality.
She describes the commission’s actions as deeply concerning for democratic values and seeks the apex court’s intervention to issue necessary directions to halt or rectify the SIR process.
The petition’s filing comes amid heightened political activity. Banerjee arrived in New Delhi on Sunday and met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on February 2 to voice her objections directly.
On Saturday, she had written to the CEC questioning the authority and selective appointment of special roll observers (SROs) and micro-observers, deployed only in West Bengal for the SIR review.
Banerjee’s multi-pronged strategy includes rallying opposition leaders in Delhi for a broader consensus against the exercise.
Meanwhile, the TMC-led Treasury bench in the West Bengal Assembly plans to introduce a motion during the upcoming Budget session condemning the SIR.
Political analysts view her personal Supreme Court move as opening multiple fronts against the ECI, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The petition’s exact capacity—whether filed as Chief Minister or TMC President—remains unclear, but hearings could occur this week, potentially alongside the TMC MPs’ case.
The SIR, aimed at purifying voter lists, has sparked controversy over alleged procedural violations, irregularities, and potential disenfranchisement, with Banerjee claiming it breaches statutory norms under the Representation of the People Act. — With Agencies Inputs
The petition, lodged on Sunday (February 1, 2026), names the ECI and the state’s Chief Electoral Officer as respondents.
This marks the second legal challenge on the issue, following an earlier plea by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Mahua Moitra, Derek O’Brien, and Dola Sen, which is slated for hearing this week.
In her petition, Banerjee accuses the ECI of political bias, adopting an authoritarian approach, and deviating from expected impartiality.
She describes the commission’s actions as deeply concerning for democratic values and seeks the apex court’s intervention to issue necessary directions to halt or rectify the SIR process.
The petition’s filing comes amid heightened political activity. Banerjee arrived in New Delhi on Sunday and met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on February 2 to voice her objections directly.
On Saturday, she had written to the CEC questioning the authority and selective appointment of special roll observers (SROs) and micro-observers, deployed only in West Bengal for the SIR review.
Banerjee’s multi-pronged strategy includes rallying opposition leaders in Delhi for a broader consensus against the exercise.
Meanwhile, the TMC-led Treasury bench in the West Bengal Assembly plans to introduce a motion during the upcoming Budget session condemning the SIR.
Political analysts view her personal Supreme Court move as opening multiple fronts against the ECI, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The petition’s exact capacity—whether filed as Chief Minister or TMC President—remains unclear, but hearings could occur this week, potentially alongside the TMC MPs’ case.
The SIR, aimed at purifying voter lists, has sparked controversy over alleged procedural violations, irregularities, and potential disenfranchisement, with Banerjee claiming it breaches statutory norms under the Representation of the People Act. — With Agencies Inputs