27 lakh names rejected due to logical discrepancy by judiciary, not govt: West Bengal CM
Suvendu Adhikari clarifies that the rejection of 27 lakh voter names in West Bengal was a judicial decision, accusing Mamata Banerjee of attacking the courts.
West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, clarifying that the rejection of 27 lakh entries during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was a decision made by the judiciary rather than government officials.
Addressing the ongoing controversy surrounding the voter list revisions in the state, Adhikari claimed that the Chief Minister's criticisms are effectively directed at the legal system itself. He emphasized that the process of identifying and removing names due to logical discrepancies was overseen by the courts.
The Role of the Judiciary in SIR
According to Adhikari, the process was not an administrative move by the state government or the Election Commission's standard officers. He detailed how the Supreme Court played a pivotal role in the oversight of the Special Intensive Revision.
Key details regarding the judicial involvement include:
- Article 142 Invocation: Adhikari stated that the Supreme Court invoked Article 142, which allowed it to take powers away from the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).
- Empowering District Judges: The apex court directly empowered District Judges to handle the deletion of names based on logical discrepancies.
- Judicial Deployment: In February, the Supreme Court permitted the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to deploy additional civil judges with at least three years of experience to verify objections.
- Inter-state Assistance: The court even allowed for assistance from the Chief Justices of Jharkhand and Odisha to ensure the verification process was thorough.
"Challenging the Judiciary is tantamount to challenging Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution," Adhikari remarked, suggesting that Mamata Banerjee's stance is a direct affront to the nation's legal framework.
Mamata Banerjee's Allegations
The political row intensified following claims made by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She alleged that the SIR exercise was a targeted attempt to "capture Bengal" because the opposition could not win through traditional means.
Banerjee claimed that a massive number of names were struck off during the process. Her figures suggest that while 92 lakh names were initially removed, legal intervention helped reinstate 32 lakh of them, leaving 27 lakh names excluded. She further alleged that nearly 13 crore people across the country have been affected by the SIR process.
Political Sparring and the INDIA Bloc
The debate comes at a time of heightened tension within the opposition. Left leaders and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have been pushing for a united front against Election Commission of India (ECI) Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby has called for a wider outreach to parties outside the INDIA bloc to challenge the ECI's functioning.
Adhikari, however, dismissed these efforts as futile. He accused the opposition of being selective about the SIR process, noting that they support it in states where they have won, such as Kerala, but criticize it in states where they have lost, like Bihar.
"They can hold a meeting with 150 people—gathering all their crooks and sycophants from across the state—but it amounted to nothing," Adhikari said, adding that the BJP is positioned to remain in power for generations to come.
Context of the ECI Controversy
The friction regarding the ECI's functioning stems from reports suggesting internal disagreements within the commission. It was reported that two of the three Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, had raised objections regarding certain decisions and orders that were allegedly issued without their knowledge. While the ECI has sought to clarify its position on the SIR schedule, the political fallout in West Bengal continues to escalate.