In a major escalation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has formally reached out to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. Raising concerns over the potential disenfranchisement of lakhs of genuine voters, the party’s legal cell submitted a detailed letter seeking immediate judicial oversight. This move comes at a time when nearly 6 million voters in West Bengal have been placed under ‘adjudication’ in the post-SIR lists.

The SIR Conundrum The SIR exercise was initiated to identify discrepancies in the voter list, but it has turned into a massive political flashpoint. The TMC alleges that the Election Commission of India (ECI), under pressure from the central government, is arbitrarily marking voters as “doubtful” or placing them under “adjudication.” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has labeled this a conspiracy to “rob the people of Bengal of their democratic rights,” especially targeting minority communities and those living in border districts.

Why the Letter to the Chief Justice? While the Supreme Court has already deployed judicial officers to handle claims and objections, the TMC argues that the scale of the exercise is overwhelming and prone to errors. Through the letter to the Chief Justice, the party has requested:

• A specialized monitoring cell under the High Court to oversee the adjudication process.
• Extension of deadlines for voters to provide legacy data and proof of residence.
• Ensuring that the final supplementary list is published transparently before the nomination phase begins for the 2026 Assembly polls.

As Bengal heads to the polls on April 23, the ‘SIR’ issue has emerged as the most critical legal and political hurdle for all stakeholders.