Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Jan 6: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the app used by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state was designed by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Information Technology Cell. She claimed the SIR process has been riddled with errors, with living voters incorrectly marked as deceased and elderly or seriously ill citizens summoned unnecessarily for hearings.

Speaking to the media at Sagar Islands in South 24 Parganas, Banerjee described the app’s use in the SIR as “illegal, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.” The Chief Minister has been vocal against the ECI over the exercise, having written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday to raise multiple objections.

Banerjee also announced plans to approach the Supreme Court (SC) personally against the SIR exercise, citing the “plight” of citizens caused by its allegedly unplanned execution. “We are taking the legal route. If necessary, I will plead at the Supreme Court. I also have a law degree, so I can do so,” she said at a government function on Monday, clarifying that she would appear not as an advocate but as a concerned citizen.

The chief minister further accused the CEC of operating the Election Commission via WhatsApp messages and attempting to deny West Bengal residents their voting rights. She described the SIR exercise as harassment of common people, reinforcing her criticism of its implementation across the state.