Supreme Court to Hear Mamata Banerjee’s Plea Challenging Bengal SIR

Key Points:

On February 4, 2026, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will appear before the Supreme Court of India in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out in the state. The apex court is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the SIR on the same day.

One of the petitions has reportedly been filed by the West Bengal Chief Minister, accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of political bias.

The petition also points fingers at the ECI for adopting an authoritarian approach in conducting the SIR. According to the official website of the apex court, the matter will be taken up by a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymala Bagchi and Vipul M. Panchol.

See Also: Rajasthan SIR Row: Allegations of Targeted Muslim Voters Deletions in Adarsh Nagar Constituency Raises Concerns About SIR Process

Banerjee, who is also a graduate in law (LLB), will reportedly argue the case in person before the court. The petition regarding the SIR was filed on January 28, 2026, stating that the process would lead to “large-scale disenfranchisement.” The Chief Minister has questioned the legality of the SIR process and alleged that it would ultimately affect marginalised sections of society.

In her plea, the West Bengal Chief Minister accused the ECI of acting with political intent and claimed that a constitutional authority— from which impartiality and protection of democratic values are expected has reached a stage that is “extremely worrying for any democratic society.”

Earlier, on behalf of the ruling Trinamool Congress, Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra and Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen approached the apex court to challenge the SIR exercise in the state. The previously filed petitions are also among those listed before the bench led by CJI Kant.

On February 2, 2026, Banerjee met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi to raise her objections regarding the consequences of the SIR exercise. After the meeting, Banerjee described the CEC as “arrogant” and accused him of targeting the state at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

See Also: The Reporters’ Collective Investigation: ECI Reactivates De-Duplication Software Midway Through SIR, Defying Its Own Supreme Court Stand

Banerjee has also alleged the large-scale deletion of genuine voters’ names from the draft electoral rolls and claimed that special electoral roll observers and micro-observers were appointed exclusively for West Bengal to supervise the revision process.

The ECI has refuted the allegations raised by Banerjee, with sources claiming that the CEC made it clear that the rule of law must prevail. He also stated that no obstruction, pressure, or interference in the SIR exercise would be tolerated.

Inputs from IANS

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