West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission (EC), accusing it of bias and of mishandling the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of upcoming state elections.Addressing the press in New Delhi along with Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief questioned the timing and integrity of the SIR exercise, alleging that it disproportionately targeted Opposition-ruled states while exempting Assam, a “double-engine” state governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She further alleged that 58 lakh names had been deleted in the first phase without giving affected individuals a fair opportunity to appeal or defend their cases.Banerjee claimed she had written six letters to the EC without receiving any response, and criticised the poll body for “attempting to complete the SIR process in just two to three months, despite lacking adequate infrastructure, planning and training”.She also alleged that West Bengal was the only state where booth-level officers (BLOs) had been appointed illegally and in violation of election regulations and statutory rules.“How can this be done on the eve of the election? How can the SIR be rushed through without proper verification or mapping?” she asked.The CM was accompanied by individuals whom she said had been directly impacted by the SIR exercise. Standing alongside those she described as victims of the process, Banerjee said thousands were being unfairly affected.“I could have brought lakhs of people here to protest, but these individuals have been here for days, fighting for their rights,” she said.She further alleged that those affected by the SIR were not being given an opportunity to defend themselves and questioned the intent behind conducting the exercise in states on the eve of Assembly elections.Accusing the Centre of misusing constitutional institutions, Banerjee challenged it to fight politically and democratically.She claimed that the Election Commission was being misused in states such as Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar.
