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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has escalated her confrontation with the Election Commission of India (ECI), penning her third letter in the past two months to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, sharply criticising the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, alleging that the ongoing exercise has turned into a process of mass harassment, fear and exclusion rather than correction. In the letter dated January 10, 2026, Banerjee accuses the ECI of subjecting ordinary citizens to an “unplanned, insensitive and inhuman” exercise that she says is eroding public trust in democratic institutions. She writes that the revision process has become “largely mechanical, driven purely by technical data and completely devoid of sensitivity and human touch,” warning that such an approach strikes at the very foundation of constitutional democracy.
The chief minister claims the consequences of the SIR have already been devastating. Referring to reported human distress linked to the exercise, she notes that “77 deaths, four attempts to suicide and 17 persons falling sick necessitating hospitalisation” have occurred, attributing these incidents to fear, intimidation and disproportionate workload caused by the revision process. She calls it “profoundly shocking” that an exercise meant to strengthen democracy has allegedly resulted in such trauma.
One of the most striking portions of the letter is Banerjee’s protest over the summoning of eminent and widely respected individuals during the SIR process. Calling it a “matter of profound shame,” she objects to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, a nonagenarian and globally renowned intellectual, being asked to appear before election officials to establish his credentials.
Banerjee argues that this act alone exposes the “sheer audacity” of the process. She further lists other prominent figures — including renowned poet Joy Goswami, popular film actor and MP Deepak Adhikari (Dev), international cricketer Mohammed Shami, and the Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha - stating that they too have been subjected to what she describes as unnecessary and demeaning scrutiny. “These are only a few examples of known personalities,” Banerjee writes, adding that countless ordinary citizens have been subjected to similar treatment without visibility or voice.
This letter is the third communication Banerjee has sent to the Election Commission on the SIR issue, following earlier letters in November and December 2025. She notes that despite repeated warnings, the situation has worsened, reflecting what she describes as “a disturbing pattern of political bias and autocratic high-handedness.” She previously wrote to the CEC on November 20, 2025, and again on December 2, 2025, both times raising grave concerns about the design and execution of the voter roll revision.
“This reflects a disturbing pattern of political bias and autocratic high-handedness b y an institution that is expected to function I as a constitutional authority. The ECI appears t o have descended to a level that is difficult to comprehend and deeply alarming for any democratic society. The objective seems neither o f correction nor o f inclusion in the electoral rolls, but solely of deletion and of exclusion. This is unprecedented, deeply unfortunate and strikes at the very core of our democratic polity - one that thrives on the ideals and values enshrined in our Constitution. Though it is already very late, hope good sense prevails and appropriate corrective actions are taken from your end to minimise the harassment, inconvenience and agony of the common citizen o f the state”, she lamented in her latest letter to the CEC
But the highpoint of the letter was her hand written note while signing off as she stated “though I know you will not respond or clarify, but my duty is to inform you the details”, reminding Election Commission that there has been no response to her two letters written in the past two months ever since SIR has been implemented on the ground.
