Mamata Banerjee vs Election Commission: Supreme Court's 'Extraordinary' Order On SIR EXPLAINED

Описание: In the middle of election preparations in West Bengal, a major political and legal battle reached the doors of the Supreme Court of India. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N.V. Anjaria passed an extraordinary order, directing the Calcutta High Court to depute serving and retired judicial officers to assist in the Special Intensive Revision process of electoral rolls in the state. Calling the situation exceptional, the top court said judicial oversight had become necessary due to a deep trust deficit between the state government and the Election Commission of India. The Commission had begun the SIR exercise to update voter lists by adding eligible citizens, removing duplicates and deleting names of deceased voters, a routine democratic step ahead of elections. However, the process soon sparked controversy, with the government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging harassment of genuine voters and unfair deletions, questioning transparency and accusing authorities of targeting specific sections. Protests escalated and the issue transformed into a sharp confrontation between the state and the Election Commission. Mamata Banerjee personally approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the revision was creating fear among voters and seeking safeguards to prevent wrongful exclusion. During hearings, the court observed that the blame game and non cooperation between the two sides had stalled progress, particularly at the stage of deciding claims and objections. To ensure the exercise is completed fairly and impartially, the Supreme Court ordered that judicial officers of impeccable integrity oversee this crucial phase, effectively bringing judicial supervision into the voter roll revision. The court has permitted publication of the draft voter list by February 28, with judicial officers assisting in handling objections, even as procedural disagreements and tensions persist. Following the order, TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee welcomed the intervention, saying it was vital to guarantee transparency, protect voters rights and ensure the SIR process is conducted without bias or confusion.
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