West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has declared her intention to approach the Supreme Court as an "ordinary citizen" to challenge alleged discrepancies in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She has escalated her confrontation with the Election Commission and the Central Government, accusing them of a "technological conspiracy" to strip millions of their voting rights ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Allegations of AI-Powered Voter Disenfranchisement
Addressing a massive public gathering at Gangasagar in South 24 Parganas district on Monday, January 5, 2026, the Trinamool Congress chief made startling claims. She asserted that artificial Intelligence and informal messaging platforms are being weaponized to manipulate the voter list. Banerjee specifically alleged that the names of 5.4 million people have been improperly removed from the rolls.
"Listen, artificial Intelligence has emerged now. Often, you'll see it's not me. But using my image and voice, they can spread many lies," Banerjee cautioned the crowd about deepfake technology. She elaborated, "They've used AI to remove names. AI is deciding whose surname has changed, who got married, and which girl has gone to her in-laws' house. Names have been removed using AI."
A Call to Action and Legal Battle
The Chief Minister urgently appealed to every citizen to verify their registration on the SIR draft list. She framed this act as a crucial fight for survival and fundamental rights. "It might be a bit troublesome, but this is a struggle to protect your rights. This is a struggle for survival," Banerjee stated.
She confirmed that her party is pursuing legal avenues, with courts reopening after the holiday. Banerjee also launched a sharp critique of the Election Commission's methods, claiming, "The Election Commission is being run on WhatsApp. Who knows if they've bought WhatsApp or not… I'm sorry to say that people's names are being removed from the voter list."
Pleading as a Citizen, Not a CM
In a significant move, Mamata Banerjee clarified that she would seek special permission to represent the people's grievance before the highest court not as the Chief Minister or even as a lawyer, but as a common citizen. "If necessary, I will go to the Supreme Court and plead for the people. I will speak for the people," she affirmed.
"I will not go as a lawyer, although I am a lawyer. As an ordinary citizen, I can certainly speak my mind," Banerjee explained. She vowed to expose the on-ground reality and harassment faced by people, concluding with a defiant message to the BJP: "No matter how much the BJP tries, they won't succeed."
The confrontation sets the stage for a major legal and political battle over the integrity of the electoral roll in West Bengal, with the Chief Minister positioning herself as the primary defender of democratic rights against what she calls technologically-aided disenfranchisement.
