Knocking every door: Mamata invokes judiciary, turns to media over SIR in Delhi
Invoking the judiciary as a key pillar of the Constitution, Mamata Banerjee said she had now turned to the media, bringing alleged victims of the SIR exercise before cameras, so the country could "see with its own eyes" what she described as serious discrepancies unfolding in Bengal ahead of the elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday escalated her standoff with the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi and declaring she was “knocking every door” to protect democracy.
Invoking the judiciary as a key pillar of the Constitution, Banerjee said she had now turned to the media, bringing alleged victims of the SIR exercise before cameras so the country could “see with its own eyes” what she described as serious discrepancies unfolding in Bengal ahead of the elections.
‘YOU CAN SEE THE VICTIMS OF SIR SITTING WITH US’
Opening her address, Banerjee pointed to several people seated alongside her and said she could have brought “lakhs of people” to Delhi but chose to bring only a few so the capital could witness what was happening on the ground.
“The problem is people in Delhi aren’t aware of what’s happening in Bengal. That’s why I decided to bring them here,” she said.
Stressing that those present had not been selected on the basis of caste, creed or religion, Banerjee said all of them were victims of the SIR process.
She alleged that despite writing six letters to the Chief Election Commissioner, there had been no response. “Even Supreme Court verdicts are not being honoured,” she claimed, adding that while she had the “greatest regard” for the judiciary, her party would plead its case before the courts.
‘WHY SIR ON THE EVE OF ELECTIONS?’
Questioning the timing of the exercise, the Chief Minister said election notifications were expected as early as February. “In two to three months, is it possible to finish this exercise without proper training?” she asked, questioning how such a large-scale revision could be carried out so close to the polls. She also asked why only election-bound states were witnessing SIR and why Assam had been excluded.
Banerjee alleged that 58 lakh names were deleted in the first phase of the exercise and claimed the deletions were unilateral and illegal. She said recommendations from field-level Electoral Registration Officers were ignored and that names were removed without mandatory ERO signatures.
Naming a retired BJP IT cell official, Seema Khanna, Banerjee alleged misuse of AI tools to carry out one-sided deletions, calling the process unlawful.
Rejecting allegations of infiltration, Banerjee said border management was the Centre’s responsibility. “You keep talking about infiltration, but you man the borders of Pakistan and Bangladesh,” she said, adding that for the last 10 years, no actionable information had been shared with the state.
Calling the infiltration narrative politically driven, she alleged Bengal was being targeted because the Trinamool Congress could not be defeated electorally.
‘MICRO-OBSERVERS HAVE BECOME THE REAL MASTERS’
Mounting a frontal attack on the role of micro-observers, Banerjee said they had no authority under the Representation of the People Act but were exercising disproportionate control. “They have come through the back door of the BJP and the front door of the ECI,” she alleged.
She claimed several Booth Level Officer families had been traumatised due to pressure, with some even hospitalised.
Recounting her interactions with Election Commission officials, Banerjee alleged intimidation and humiliation.
“I asked multiple questions but the CEC humiliated us, threatened us and shouted at us,” she said. “I told him, don’t shout at us, we are not your bonded labourers.”
She added that while the TMC delegation had initially approached the Commission with flowers and sweets, it was forced to boycott the meeting due to the officials’ conduct.
Banerjee also alleged selective targeting in the SIR exercise, claiming 100 per cent of deleted voters belonged to the Trinamool Congress, while only 1–2 per cent were from other parties.
Dismissing the Election Commission’s public explanations, she said, “That version is a face-saving version.”
SEASONAL POLITICS VS DAILY WORK
Addressing organisational preparedness, Banerjee alleged that rules had been changed to allow non-locals to be appointed as Booth Level Officers and Booth Level Agents. “Earlier, only local people were appointed. Now outsiders are being brought in,” she said, asserting that the TMC would counter the challenge through its ground-level network. “We work 365 days a year. The BJP turns up for two days around elections,” she added.
Projecting confidence ahead of the Bengal elections, Banerjee said, “I am not an astrologer, but this time we will do more and more,” indicating the party would increase its seat tally.
Backing the Chief Minister, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee accused the Election Commission of altering terminology by using the phrase “discrepancy mapped” and of failing to make voter lists public despite Supreme Court directions. He alleged that while such lists had been uploaded to EROs, they were not shared with gram panchayats or wards.
On the role of micro-observers, Abhishek Banerjee claimed the party had concrete video evidence showing voter names being deleted if EROs accepted their observations. “We will submit this in court,” he said, alleging the Election Commission was misleading the country on the actual role of micro-observers.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday escalated her standoff with the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi and declaring she was “knocking every door” to protect democracy.
Invoking the judiciary as a key pillar of the Constitution, Banerjee said she had now turned to the media, bringing alleged victims of the SIR exercise before cameras so the country could “see with its own eyes” what she described as serious discrepancies unfolding in Bengal ahead of the elections.
‘YOU CAN SEE THE VICTIMS OF SIR SITTING WITH US’
Opening her address, Banerjee pointed to several people seated alongside her and said she could have brought “lakhs of people” to Delhi but chose to bring only a few so the capital could witness what was happening on the ground.
“The problem is people in Delhi aren’t aware of what’s happening in Bengal. That’s why I decided to bring them here,” she said.
Stressing that those present had not been selected on the basis of caste, creed or religion, Banerjee said all of them were victims of the SIR process.
She alleged that despite writing six letters to the Chief Election Commissioner, there had been no response. “Even Supreme Court verdicts are not being honoured,” she claimed, adding that while she had the “greatest regard” for the judiciary, her party would plead its case before the courts.
‘WHY SIR ON THE EVE OF ELECTIONS?’
Questioning the timing of the exercise, the Chief Minister said election notifications were expected as early as February. “In two to three months, is it possible to finish this exercise without proper training?” she asked, questioning how such a large-scale revision could be carried out so close to the polls. She also asked why only election-bound states were witnessing SIR and why Assam had been excluded.
Banerjee alleged that 58 lakh names were deleted in the first phase of the exercise and claimed the deletions were unilateral and illegal. She said recommendations from field-level Electoral Registration Officers were ignored and that names were removed without mandatory ERO signatures.
Naming a retired BJP IT cell official, Seema Khanna, Banerjee alleged misuse of AI tools to carry out one-sided deletions, calling the process unlawful.
Rejecting allegations of infiltration, Banerjee said border management was the Centre’s responsibility. “You keep talking about infiltration, but you man the borders of Pakistan and Bangladesh,” she said, adding that for the last 10 years, no actionable information had been shared with the state.
Calling the infiltration narrative politically driven, she alleged Bengal was being targeted because the Trinamool Congress could not be defeated electorally.
‘MICRO-OBSERVERS HAVE BECOME THE REAL MASTERS’
Mounting a frontal attack on the role of micro-observers, Banerjee said they had no authority under the Representation of the People Act but were exercising disproportionate control. “They have come through the back door of the BJP and the front door of the ECI,” she alleged.
She claimed several Booth Level Officer families had been traumatised due to pressure, with some even hospitalised.
Recounting her interactions with Election Commission officials, Banerjee alleged intimidation and humiliation.
“I asked multiple questions but the CEC humiliated us, threatened us and shouted at us,” she said. “I told him, don’t shout at us, we are not your bonded labourers.”
She added that while the TMC delegation had initially approached the Commission with flowers and sweets, it was forced to boycott the meeting due to the officials’ conduct.
Banerjee also alleged selective targeting in the SIR exercise, claiming 100 per cent of deleted voters belonged to the Trinamool Congress, while only 1–2 per cent were from other parties.
Dismissing the Election Commission’s public explanations, she said, “That version is a face-saving version.”
SEASONAL POLITICS VS DAILY WORK
Addressing organisational preparedness, Banerjee alleged that rules had been changed to allow non-locals to be appointed as Booth Level Officers and Booth Level Agents. “Earlier, only local people were appointed. Now outsiders are being brought in,” she said, asserting that the TMC would counter the challenge through its ground-level network. “We work 365 days a year. The BJP turns up for two days around elections,” she added.
Projecting confidence ahead of the Bengal elections, Banerjee said, “I am not an astrologer, but this time we will do more and more,” indicating the party would increase its seat tally.
Backing the Chief Minister, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee accused the Election Commission of altering terminology by using the phrase “discrepancy mapped” and of failing to make voter lists public despite Supreme Court directions. He alleged that while such lists had been uploaded to EROs, they were not shared with gram panchayats or wards.
On the role of micro-observers, Abhishek Banerjee claimed the party had concrete video evidence showing voter names being deleted if EROs accepted their observations. “We will submit this in court,” he said, alleging the Election Commission was misleading the country on the actual role of micro-observers.