West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised serious concerns with the Election Commission of India regarding the ongoing revision of voter lists in the state, labeling the process as flawed and potentially damaging to democracy.
Letter to Chief Election Commissioner Highlights Concerns
On Saturday, Mamata Banerjee wrote a formal letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. In her communication, she expressed grave concern over what she described as serious irregularities and administrative lapses in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The exercise is currently underway in the poll-bound state of West Bengal.
The Chief Minister stated she was "constrained to write" to place on record her apprehensions about the procedural violations being witnessed. She characterized the entire SIR process as "unplanned, arbitrary and adhoc."
Fear of Large-Scale Voter Disenfranchisement
A core argument in Banerjee's letter is the potential for widespread exclusion of legitimate voters. She warned that if the current process continues with its existing flaws, it would lead to large-scale disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
She framed this outcome as nothing less than a "direct assault on the foundational principles of democratic governance." Her letter underscores the high-stakes nature of electoral roll accuracy, especially in a state preparing for elections.
Urgent Call for Action or Halt
Mamata Banerjee did not limit her communication to just highlighting problems. She issued a clear and urgent call to action for the poll body.
"I strongly urge you to immediately address and rectify the glitches, address the flaws and make the necessary corrections," she wrote. Furthermore, she set a clear condition, stating that failing such corrections, "this unplanned, arbitrary and adhoc exercise must be halted."
She concluded that allowing the revision to continue in its present form would cause "irreparable damage" to the democratic process in the state. The letter puts significant pressure on the Election Commission to review and potentially recalibrate the ongoing Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal.
