‘Deeply Alarming’: Mamata Banerjee Writes To EC For SIR Halt, BJP Says She’s Scared Of Vote Loss | Politics News

Last Updated:November 20, 2025, 17:24 IST

Banerjee, in her letter to CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleged that the ongoing SIR process is being conducted in an “unplanned & coercive” manner

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has already termed SIR as “another form of NRC”, alleging that it is a mechanism through which “voters will be deleted” from the electoral rolls. (PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to the Election Commission (EC), calling the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state “deeply alarming” and urging a halt to the exercise.

Banerjee, in her letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claimed the process is being conducted in an “unplanned and coercive” manner, putting both citizens and officials at risk.

“I am compelled to write to you as the situation surrounding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has reached a deeply alarming stage. The manner in which this exercise is being forced upon officials and citizens is not only unplanned and chaotic, but also dangerous,” she wrote.

The West Bengal CM further called the exercise as chaotic, noting critical gaps in training, confusion over mandatory documentation, and the near-impossibility for booth-level officers (BLOs) to meet voters during their working hours.

“I would request you to kindly intervene decisively to halt the ongoing exercise, stop coercive measures, provide proper training and support, and thoroughly reassess the present methodology and timelines,” her letter stated.

Highlighting the human cost, the chief minister cited the suicide of an anganwadi worker in Mal, Jalpaiguri, who was serving as a BLO and reportedly faced “crushing SIR-related pressure”. She added that several others have also died since the process began.

“If this path is not corrected without delay, the consequences for the system, the officials, and the citizens-will be irreversible. This intervention is not only necessary but imperative to protect the integrity of the electoral process and our democratic framework,” she said.

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More

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