Supreme Court to hear Bengal SIR case today; Mamata Banerjee wants to present her case

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to appear before the Supreme Court on Wednesday in connection with the case concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

Sources said Banerjee, who holds a law degree, may seek permission from the court to argue the case in person. An interim application has been filed through her legal team requesting approval from the Chief Justice of India to allow her to make submissions directly.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi will later hear a batch of petitions filed by Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen, and petitioner Mostari Banu.

A Supreme Court entry pass has been issued in Banerjee’s name, indicating her likely presence during the hearing.

In her application, Banerjee said she is a petitioner in the matter and is well acquainted with the facts of the case. She also affirmed her awareness of Supreme Court procedures and decorum, assuring the court she would adhere to established rules and practices.

The Chief Minister said she is familiar with the ground realities faced by residents of West Bengal due to the ongoing SIR exercise.

On Tuesday, Banerjee escalated her standoff with the Election Commission over the SIR process, saying she was “knocking on every door” to protect democracy. She also said she had turned to the media to highlight what she called serious discrepancies in the exercise ahead of the elections.

Bengal SIR case

During a hearing on January 19, the Supreme Court directed that the SIR exercise be conducted transparently and without causing inconvenience to voters.

The court asked the Election Commission to publicly display the names of voters flagged under “logical discrepancies” at gram panchayat and block offices, which were also designated as centres for submitting documents and filing objections.

The Election Commission has said “logical discrepancies” include mismatches in linking voters to the 2002 electoral roll, such as inconsistencies in parental names or age differences outside prescribed limits.

The court noted that around 1.25 crore voters in West Bengal were placed under the “logical discrepancies” category. Banerjee moved the Supreme Court on January 28, naming the Election Commission and the state Chief Electoral Officer as respondents, and earlier wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner seeking a halt to what she termed an “arbitrary and flawed” SIR exercise.