New Delhi, Feb 09 : The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee contesting the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, which is preparing for Assembly elections later this year.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will take up the matter along with related pleas submitted by Trinamool Congress MPs Dola Sen and Derek O’Brien. The hearing follows the court’s earlier notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking its response to the concerns raised by the state government.
Banerjee’s petition questions the legality of the revision exercise, warning that it could result in the removal of a significant number of voters, particularly from marginalised sections. She has requested interim relief to prevent any deletions, especially in cases identified under the “logical discrepancy” category, and has accused the poll body of partisan conduct.
During previous proceedings, the Bench observed that spelling differences linked to regional dialects occur across the country and should not become grounds for excluding legitimate voters. The court had indicated it would work toward a practical approach to safeguard electoral participation.
The West Bengal government has argued that certain groups including women who adopt new surnames after marriage and people who relocate may face disproportionate scrutiny. It has also alleged that similarly intensive revisions are not being pursued in some northeastern states, suggesting uneven implementation.
Ahead of the hearing, the state informed the ECI of its readiness to deploy over 8,500 Group-B officers to assist with the remaining stages of the exercise and emphasised the need for Bengali speaking personnel to minimise language-related errors.
The ECI, for its part, clarified that only residency certificates issued by designated authorities such as District Magistrates, Additional District Magistrates, and Sub-Divisional Officers under provisions notified in 1999 would be accepted for the revision. Certificates from elected representatives or Block Development Officers would not qualify as valid documentation.
The Trinamool Congress has opposed this stance, with Banerjee alleging that the rejection of certain documents could pave the way for the exclusion of genuine voters. The court’s decision is expected to shape the conduct of the revision process as the state moves closer to elections.