Mamata Banerjee In Supreme Court: Bengal CM Arrives, Likely To Argue Own Case Against SIR

West Bengal: The ongoing voter list stir in West Bengal politics has now directly reached the doorstep of the Supreme Court. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a petition regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) happening in the state, and this time she is not going to present her views through any lawyer but by standing in the court herself.

This step is also special because Mamata Banerjee has studied law and has also practiced law at some point. That means the courtroom is not new to her.

What is the matter?

Banerjee says that the way this revision of the voter list is being done, it does not appear clean and fair. They fear that this may cause problems for common voters, especially those who have minor discrepancies in their documents. Regarding this, she has challenged the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal in the Supreme Court by making her a party.

Who else is involved in the hearing?

A bench of the Supreme Court of India, headed by Surya Kant, will simultaneously hear three petitions related to the case. These also include petitions by Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen. It is clear that the matter is not only legal but also politically important.

What has the court said earlier?

In the last hearing, the court had clearly told the Election Commission that the entire process should be transparent and no voter should be unnecessarily harassed. The list of names in which irregularities have been found has been asked to be pasted in Panchayat buildings and block offices, so that people can express their views by showing the documents.

Why the controversy over ‘logical discrepancy’?

The cases, which the Election Commission is calling “logical discrepancies”, include inconsistencies related to name or age. But the problem is that the number of such cases is very large. About 1.25 crore voters have come under this category. Questions being raised on such a large number of people is a matter of concern in itself and that is why the state government is cautious about it.

What next?

Mamata Banerjee herself appearing in the court shows how seriously she is taking this issue. Now everyone's eyes are on the Supreme Court hearing. Whatever the decision, it is sure to have a direct impact on millions of voters and the politics of the state.