Mamata Banerjee Slams Election Commission Over 'Exclusionary' Voter Roll Exercise in West Bengal

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been turned into an exercise to exclude voters rather than correct records. In her third letter to the Commissioner, Banerjee accused the Election Commission of displaying political bias, insensitivity, and high-handedness during the exercise. Banerjee claims that the hearing process has become mechanical and lacks human touch, driven solely by technical data. She argues that the exercise's aim seems to be focused on deletion and exclusion, undermining the democratic and constitutional framework. The CM cited instances of voters being harassed and intimidated due to minor discrepancies in their records, including spelling errors and age differences. She also highlighted the plight of women voters who have changed their surnames after marriage and are being summoned to prove their identity. Banerjee raised concerns over technical and administrative irregularities, including the selective targeting of "logical discrepancies" in certain constituencies and the confusion caused by multiple portals and backend changes. She also alleged that observers and micro-observers, some of whom are inadequately trained, are acting beyond their mandate and verbally abusing citizens. The CM expressed concern for migrant workers and people living outside the state, noting that only select electors are allowed to appear through authorized family members, leaving many others to face hardship. She also drew attention to the summoning of eminent personalities, including Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, and asked if this did not amount to audacity on the part of the ECI. Banerjee urged the Election Commission to take corrective action, stating that it is already late but hoping that good sense prevails and measures are taken to minimize the harassment, inconvenience, and agony of the common citizen of the state. She claimed that the exercise has led to 77 deaths, four suicide attempts, and 17 hospitalizations, which she attributed to fear, intimidation, and excessive workload.