Mamata Vows to Take Legal Action Against Bengal's SIR, Citing 'Harassment' of Voters

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{ "title": "Mamata Vows to Take Legal Action Against Bengal's SIR, Citing 'Harassment' of Voters", "article": "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has threatened to take the Supreme Court to task over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, which she claims is causing 'harassment' to voters. Banerjee, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term in the assembly polls, made the statement on Monday while addressing a government program in South 24 Parganas district. The SIR, which aims to purge the electoral rolls of duplicate, bogus, and ineligible entries, has been a contentious issue in the state. Banerjee has alleged that the exercise is flawed and many voters may lose their right to vote as a result. She has written a four-page letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing examples of ailing elderly people, nonagenarian citizens, and pregnant women being called for hearings to prove their citizenship. The Election Commission has defended the SIR, saying it is a necessary step to ensure the sanctity of democracy. However, the move has been opposed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its allies, who claim that the exercise is being rushed and is causing unnecessary hardship to voters. The opposition BJP has also come out in support of the SIR, terming it a 'meticulously orchestrated national initiative'. The assembly polls in West Bengal are due in three months, and the TMC is seeking a straight fourth term. The outcome of the polls is likely to be crucial in determining the future of the state's politics. In a related development, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has said that the Chief Minister has every right to express her apprehensions over the SIR. However, he has also urged the Election Commission to address the concerns of the people in a satisfactory manner. The controversy over the SIR has sparked a war of words between the TMC and the Election Commission. While the TMC has accused the poll panel of being biased and using WhatsApp to delete voter names, the EC has denied the allegations and said that the party should ensure that its ground-level representatives do not threaten election staff."