As the Election Commission of India prepares for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal after October 15, a fierce political storm has erupted, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee openly threatening that conducting SIR in Bengal could lead to riots and “many other consequences.”
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s statements, BJP IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya criticized Mamata Banerjee, claiming she “crossed all limits of political and constitutional propriety” by threatening unrest over the SIR implementation. Malviya further alleged that Mamata Banerjee fears voter list transparency because it could reduce Trinamool’s electoral support.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has targeted a senior West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) without naming him, accusing him of multiple corruption charges and claiming he is unnecessarily threatening state government officials.
“I will reveal those when the time comes. I hope he will not act beyond his authority. He is unnecessarily threatening state government officials. The state administration has not yet been taken over by the ECI. So why is the Commission meeting booth-level officers now?” CM Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, demanded ECI action against Mamata Banerjee for allegedly making baseless allegations against certain Commission officials, specifically targeting the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s statements, Adhikari said that such threats against a constitutional officer were deeply concerning.
“I urge the Election Commission of India to take immediate cognisance of this matter and initiate stringent action against Mamata Banerjee for her repeated attempts to undermine the Democratic Process and intimidate Constitutional Officers. Furthermore, I request that Central Security be provided to the CEO at his Office and Residence to ensure his safety, given the clear and present danger posed by these threats in a state where lawlessness prevails,” Adhikari said.
The SIR process, expected to begin in West Bengal soon, has set the stage for a heated political battle ahead of the 2026 elections, escalating tensions into a full-blown war of words between the state government and the Election Commission.
