Mamata Banerjee Writes to CEC, Calls SIR Process “Chaotic, Unplanned and Dangerous”
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a strongly worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, urging him to immediately halt the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She described the exercise as “unplanned”, “chaotic” and “dangerous”, warning that its continuation could cause “irreversible consequences” for the democratic process.
Banerjee said she felt “compelled to write” as the situation surrounding the revision process had reached a “deeply alarming stage”. In her letter, she accused the Election Commission of thrusting the SIR on officials and citizens without basic preparation or clarity.
“The manner in which this exercise is being forced upon officials and citizens is not only unplanned and chaotic, but also dangerous,” she wrote, stressing that the absence of planning, adequate support and proper communication has “crippled the process from day one”.
The Chief Minister highlighted several issues—including inadequate training for Booth Level Officers (BLOs), server glitches, unclear documentation requirements and the near-impossibility of meeting voters who are out for work during the day.
Banerjee further noted that BLOs are functioning under “far beyond human limits”, handling their primary duties—many being teachers or frontline workers—alongside the additional pressure of door-to-door surveys and complicated online submissions.
“Most are struggling with online forms due to lack of training, server failures and repeated data mismatches,” she stated.
She warned that the unrealistic workload, impossible timelines and lack of support have put the credibility of the entire process at “severe risk”. Despite commending BLOs for their efforts under such pressure, she insisted the system has failed them with inadequate guidance and infrastructure.
Mamata urged the CEC to “intervene decisively” by halting the SIR, stopping coercive measures and reassessing the methodology and schedule. She pushed for proper training, clarity on documentation and adequate time for implementation.
“If this path is not corrected without delay, the consequences for the system, the officials and the citizens will be irreversible,” she cautioned, framing the matter as a serious threat to the integrity of India’s electoral framework.