The case, filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, questions the manner, timing and scope of the SIR exercise. It is being heard by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Suryakant, Justice Joymally Bagchi and Justice N.V. Anjaria. Banerjee may again present the state’s position before the court, following her unprecedented personal appearance during the previous hearing on February 4.
At the heart of the dispute is the ECI’s claim that the West Bengal government failed to provide adequate supervisory staff for the revision exercise. During the last hearing, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the ECI, told the court that the state had deputed only 80 Grade-II officers and relied heavily on lower-ranking personnel such as Booth Level Officers and Anganwadi workers. The Commission argued that such a large-scale revision requires experienced officers to ensure accuracy and transparency.
In response, the West Bengal government has informed the ECI that it is prepared to deploy 8,505 Group-B officers drawn from state departments and affiliated institutions to support the SIR process. The move appears aimed at addressing the Commission’s concerns ahead of the resumed hearing.
Banerjee has strongly contested the ECI’s allegations, maintaining that the state provided exactly the personnel requested. Appearing in person before the apex court, she described the exercise as arbitrary and politically driven, arguing that authorities were attempting to complete in two months a process that should reasonably take two years. She also alleged that the timing of the SIR, during the agricultural season and close to elections, had caused widespread hardship.
The Chief Minister has further claimed that West Bengal was being selectively targeted, pointing out that similar revisions were not underway in Assam and parts of the Northeast. On the issue of alleged infiltration, Banerjee has said border security is the Centre’s responsibility.
Earlier, on January 19, the Supreme Court directed that the SIR be conducted transparently and without inconveniencing ordinary voters. It noted that nearly 1.25 crore voters in the state had been flagged for “logical discrepancies” in their records and ordered that relevant lists be publicly displayed.
Monday’s hearing is expected to focus on compliance with these directions and the adequacy of administrative support for the revision exercise.
