New Delhi, February 27: In a bold move ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, the Congress party is set to stage a major protest on Friday against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Accusing the process of rampant irregularities, party leaders have demanded the immediate release of an error-free electoral roll.
West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Subhankar Sarkar announced a 24-hour sit-in demonstration starting at 2 PM in front of the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Kolkata. ‘From day one, we’ve been vocal that no genuine voter’s name should be deleted, nor should any fake entries be added,’ Sarkar asserted.
He alleged that the SIR process, launched on November 4 last year, is causing undue hardship to legitimate voters, with fears of mass deletions looming large. According to Sarkar, over one crore voters have faced hearings based on so-called ‘logical discrepancies,’ raising serious questions about the legal validity of these actions.
Sarkar further claimed that flawed Election Commission decisions have repeatedly forced courts to intervene. The Congress plans to intensify its agitation with key demands: publish the final voter list by February 28, ensure no real voter’s name is removed on grounds of logical inconsistency, and maintain the legal powers of electoral registration officers.
Additional demands include proper disposal of all Form 6, 7, and 8 applications through fair hearings, and a fresh program with clear guidelines to reinstate mistakenly deleted eligible voters before nominations begin. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the deployment of 200 judicial officers—100 each from Odisha and Jharkhand High Courts—to assist in verifying documents for voters flagged under logical discrepancies.
This escalating protest underscores the high stakes in Bengal’s electoral preparations, where every vote counts in the battle for democratic integrity.