Mamata Banerjee Slams Election Commission Over ‘Harassment’ During Electoral Roll Revision in Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a strongly worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, expressing shock and anguish over what she described as the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) “relentless harassment” of ordinary citizens during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

Alleging that the SIR exercise has resulted in 77 deaths, four suicide attempts, and at least 17 people falling sick and requiring hospitalization, the Chief Minister said, “These incidents are because of fear, intimidation and disproportionate workload arising from what she termed an unplanned exercise undertaken by the ECI.”

Referring to the cases of Nobel laureate Prof. Amartya Sen, renowned poet Joy Goswami, popular film actor and MP Deepak Adhikari, international cricketer Mohammed Shami, and the Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha who were all summoned for hearing, Banerjee questioned whether this amounted to “sheer audacity” on the part of the ECI, adding that many ordinary citizens were facing similar harassment.

“It is a matter of 'profound shame' that Nobel laureate Prof Amartya Sen, a nonagenarian and globally respected intellectual, was asked to appear before ECI officials to establish his credentials,” the chief minister said.

The Chief Minister further alleged that women voters who had shifted to their matrimonial homes and changed their surnames after marriage were being questioned and summoned to prove their identity.

She said this reflected a complete lack of social sensitivity and amounted to a grave insult to women and genuine voters, questioning whether a constitutional authority should treat half of the electorate in such a manner.

Banerjee also raised concerns over the engagement of observers and micro-observers, alleging they were appointed unilaterally without adequate training or expertise for such a sensitive exercise.

The letter alleged that so-called “logical discrepancies” were being selectively targeted in certain constituencies with political bias.

“The number of such discrepancies is increasing daily and that the portal being used in West Bengal appeared to be different from those used in other states. The options initially provided for disposal of cases are being altered from the backend in an erratic manner, creating confusion among officials and amounting to a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise eligible voters,” she wrote.

Banerjee also criticised the ECI for responding late to concerns about migrant workers and people residing outside the state. She said only select electors were eventually allowed to appear through authorised family members, while migrant workers were denied similar consideration, reflecting a lack of understanding of ground realities.

Though she said it was already very late, Banerjee expressed hope that “good sense prevails” and that corrective steps would be taken to minimise the harassment and agony of the people of West Bengal.

Interestingly, at the end of the typed letter, the Chief Minister in a hand-written statement said, “I know you won’t reply or clarify but this (is my) duty to inform (you about) the details,” making it obvious that she is not doing this for redressal but recording the problems at the highest level.