Mamata Banerjee objects to SIR methodology, writes again to Election Commission
India Today
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written again to the Chief Election Commissioner, objecting to the methodology of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday evening again wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising objections to the methodology and approach adopted during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
In her fresh letter, Banerjee referred to her earlier communications and reiterated that the exercise has caused “immense inconvenience and agony to the people”, resulting in “as many as 140 deaths” during the course of the process. She alleged that the SIR has been imposed in “blatant violation” of the Act and Rules in force, in “total disregard of human rights and basic humanitarian considerations”.
“I am again constrained to write to you regarding the methodology and approach, beyond the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the Rules framed thereunder, being followed in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal,” the Trinamool Congress chief said.
Banerjee pointed out that, for the first time in India’s electoral history, the Election Commission of India has deployed around 8,100 micro observers in West Bengal during the SIR process. She alleged that these micro observers are being engaged unilaterally without adequate training or demonstrated expertise for what she described as a specialised, sensitive and quasi-judicial exercise.
She further said that the role, functions and authority of micro observers during electoral revision are neither defined nor authorised under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, or any other statutory instrument governing electoral rolls.
“Notably, no such deployment of micro observers for decision making through ERONET portal has been undertaken by the EC in any other state or Union territory where SIR processes are currently underway, rendering this measure selectively applicable to West Bengal,” Banerjee said.
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