West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written another letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, raising strong objections to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state.
In her letter, addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the revision process is being carried out. She alleged that common voters are being unnecessarily harassed in the name of verification and correction of voter details.
The Chief Minister claimed that voters are being summoned for hearings over minor discrepancies such as spelling mistakes or small age variations. According to her, this has created fear and confusion among the electorate, particularly the elderly and economically weaker sections.
Banerjee also pointed out that several well-known personalities were reportedly asked to appear during the revision process, which she described as unwarranted and insensitive. She warned that if such practices continue, many genuine voters could end up losing their voting rights.
In the letter, she further alleged irregularities in the functioning of the electoral portal used in West Bengal, stating that it appears to be different from the system followed in other states. She questioned whether the focus of the exercise was on correcting errors or on deleting names from the voter list.
This is not the first time the Chief Minister has raised concerns over the SIR process. She reiterated that she may not expect a response from the Election Commission of India, but felt it was her responsibility to formally place her objections and concerns on record.