West Bengal electoral roll row: Mamata Banerjee arrives at Supreme Court

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee arrived at the Supreme Court to appear for a hearing on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The court previously directed the ECI in a similar case in Tamil Nadu to publish a discrepancy list.

Amid the row over the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in the poll-bound West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday arrived at the Supreme Court as the apex court will hear the SIR matter today. The CM will appear before the Court in this regard. She left the residence of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee earlier today as she headed to the Supreme Court ahead of the hearing. Additionally, heavy security was deployed at the Supreme Court ahead of the hearing.

Supreme Court's Precedent in Tamil Nadu Case

Earlier, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India to publish the names of voters categorised under the "Logical Discrepancy" list during the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls in Tamil Nadu. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued the directions while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the SIR process in Tamil Nadu on grounds of procedural irregularities. The Court said that the names must be displayed at gram panchayat bhawans, taluka offices in every subdivision, and ward offices in urban areas. Those whose names appear on the list may submit documents within 10 days from the date of display, either personally or through authorised representatives. The list must also mention brief reasons for the discrepancies.

The Supreme Court further directed all district collectors to follow the Election Commission's instructions and deploy adequate personnel to ensure the smooth conduct of the SIR process.

TMC Delegation Meets Election Commission

Mamata Banerjee, along with Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, party MP Kalyan Banerjee, and others, had met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on Monday. The sources said that despite the polite posture of the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners, the Trinamool Congress leader "raised false allegations, misbehaved, thumped the table and left".

"The CEC responded to her queries and explained that the rule of law shall prevail and anybody taking the law into their own hands shall be dealt with strictly as per the provisions of law and powers vested in the Commission," a source said. (ANI)

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