By Shabana Javed
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised serious concerns that nearly 1.2 crore voters in West Bengal could be left out of the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Speaking at a public event in Bhabanipur, she warned that largescale exclusions could undermine democratic rights.
Banerjee said several citizens had already lost their voting rights and alleged that the process of deletion was continuing without adequate transparency. She claimed that initial estimates indicated 58 lakh names had been removed, and that the total could rise further. After accounting for additional exclusions and adjustments for deceased voters, omissions could reach as high as 1.2 crore.
Referring to legal action, Banerjee said she had approached the Supreme Court to challenge what she described as flaws in the SIR process conducted by Election Commission of India. She noted that the matter remains pending and expressed uncertainty over the voter list scheduled for publication on Feb. 28. She questioned why corrective measures had not been implemented despite the court’s order.
Banerjee also highlighted the potential emotional and psychological impact on those whose names might be missing from the final list. She said she was deeply concerned about affected voters and emphasised that the issue goes beyond political, religious, or party lines.
“I am for humanity. It does not matter who is Trinamool, who is BJP, who is CPM. Who is Hindu, who is Muslim, who is Sikh, who is Jain, who is Christian. I just want to ensure that the democracy of the country is protected. And the rights of every citizen are established,” she said.
She added that she opposes the exclusion of any eligible voter and questioned the delay in corrective action following the court’s direction. “I am worried about the mental state of those whose names may not appear in the list on the 28th. I will stand by those who are excluded despite having valid documents. My word is: Jio aur jeene do.”
Reports indicated that more than 43,000 voter names were missing in the first phase of revision in her own assembly constituency, Bhowanipur. In response, Banerjee has reportedly held several meetings with party representatives and booth-level agents to assess the situation.
She asserted that if irregularities are found in the final list, her government would consider appropriate action.
