In a sharply worded letter – her third in less than two months – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee intensified her attack on the Election Commission (EC), accusing the poll body of reducing the democratic process to a “farce.”
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the chief minister expressed “grave concerns” over what she described as a “fundamentally flawed” Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and said the exercise “strikes at the basic structural framework of our democracy.”
She warned that if the “unplanned, arbitrary, and ad hoc” exercise is not immediately rectified, it must be halted to prevent a “direct assault on the foundational principles of democratic governance”.
Mamata had written two letters to the CEC – on November 20 and December 2.
In the fresh letter, she said that despite drawing attention to serious irregularities earlier, the situation on the ground has only “deteriorated further”.
The chief minister spoke about several administrative lapses, ranging from “defective and unstable” IT systems to a lack of uniform training for officials.
She alleged that critical instructions are being bypassed through informal channels like WhatsApp rather than statutory orders.
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“Such informality and arbitrariness leave no scope for accuracy, transparency, or accountability,” Mamata wrote, adding, “any error, ambiguity, or uncertainty in this process can lead to serious discrepancies, including the potential disenfranchisement of genuine electors.”
One of the most serious charges leveled in the letter involves the “backend deletion” of voters.
Mamata alleged that IT systems are being misused to remove electors without the knowledge or approval of the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) —the legal authorities empowered to make such changes.
She also raised the issue of shifting goalposts regarding identity proof. Specifically, she noted that while the ‘Family Register’ was accepted in Bihar, it is reportedly being rejected in Bengal via informal messages. “Such selective and unexplained exclusion of a previously accepted document raises serious concerns of discrimination and arbitrariness,” she wrote.
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The chief minister turned the spotlight on the plight of ordinary citizens, particularly migrant workers and the elderly. She accused the Election Commission of “insensitivity” for forcing citizens, including the infirm, to travel 20–25 kilometers for centralised hearings.
She said that migrant workers are being compelled to appear for physical hearings despite being eligible electors, a move she claims contrasts with the procedures followed in other states.
“Electors are being summoned for hearings without being informed of the specific reasons… thereby subjecting them to needless anxiety and harassment,” the letter read.
The TMC supremo further questioned the neutrality of the process, citing the appointment of observers and micro-observers without consulting the state government. She described the engagement of Group B central government employees, who she claims lack specialised training, as a move that “adversely affects the fairness, neutrality, and credibility of the entire process”.
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Seeking the CEC’s intervention, the chief minister wrote, “I strongly urge you to immediately address and rectify the glitches, address the flaws, and make the necessary corrections, failing which this unplanned, arbitrary, and ad hoc exercise must be halted.”
“If allowed to continue in its present form, it will result in irreparable damage, large-scale disenfranchisement of eligible voters, and a direct assault on the foundational principles of democratic governance,” the letter concluded.
