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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee writes to CEC, alleges data manipulation in roll revision
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Chief Electoral Officer raising serious concerns. She alleges that observers are manipulating data during the voter roll revision process. Banerjee claims this is a backdoor mechanism to exclude eligible voters. She questions the unilateral appointment of thousands of micro-observers. The Chief Minister states these actions undermine democratic ethos and federalism.
Kolkata: Claiming some observers are "manipulating data to subvert the roll revision process with ulterior motives" West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday writes to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEC) Gynesh Kumar questioning authorities of Special Rolls Observers (SROs), micro-observers, calling it against "democratic ethos, federalism and fundamental right.". Banerjee also alleged that "backdoor mechanism for the exclusion and disenfranchisement of a large number of eligible electors."
The letter is sent today evening, two days ahead of her meeting with CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Monday. She also called the appointment of 8100 Micro Observers as unprecedented happening “for the first time in the electoral history of India”.
In a serious allegation, Banerjee said in her letter that “It is reported that some observers are functioning from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, and have taken control of the ECI portal without any legal authority. They are allegedly manipulating data to subvert the roll revision process with ulterior motives. It is further alleged that this is being done as a backdoor mechanism for the exclusion and disenfranchisement of a large number of eligible electors.” Banerjee alleged.
She particularly mentioned that the "four IAS officers belonging to the Tripura cadre" were appointed as Observers on January 10, 2026, in addition to "five other observers from the Centre and twelve from West Bengal."
The SROs and Micro-Observers have started super checking the hearing data from yesterday and the whole process will be done under the digital system.
Claiming that the MOs are appointed “unilaterally”, Banerjee said in her letter that recently “for the first time in the electoral history of India, the Election Commission of India has deployed approximately 8,100 Micro-Observers (MOs) in West Bengal, during the ongoing SIR process.”
Banerjee raised “serious questions” over the role of the micro-observers and observers “empowered under the statute to act as approving authorities or are they merely mandated to oversee the process and guide and assist the statutory authorities?” the letter said, further questioning, “Are the AEROs and EROs being rendered helpless, isolated and reduced to mere spectators in the face of illegal, unauthorised and unwarranted actions by such non-statutory authorities, apparently designed by the ECI?”
Banerjee has called these “developments raise grave concerns regarding the credibility and integrity of the SIR and warrant immediate investigation.”
“These Micro-Observers are being unilaterally engaged by the ECI without adequate training or demonstrated expertise for such a specialised, sensitive and quasi-judicial exercise,” Banerjee said in her letter.
She questioned “the role, functions and authority of Micro-Observers during electoral roll revision are neither defined, contemplated nor authorised under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 or any other statutory instrument governing the preparation and revision of electoral rolls.”
She said that according to “the RP Act, 1950 and the RER, 1960 exclusively vest the statutory responsibility of maintaining the electoral rolls including the conduct of claims and objections, verification of documents and passing of final orders on inclusion or deletion in the EROs and AEROS.”
In the absence of any statutory amendment or valid rule-making under Articles 327-328 of the Constitution, the ECI cannot create or empower a
Banerjee calls these “deeply disturbing” that an exercise governed by a uniform Act and Rules applicable across the country is being implemented differently across States”.
“In the ongoing SIR, the manner of hearings and disposal of logical discrepancy cases, the deployment of micro-observers and observers for back-end verification and disposal and the applicability and admissibility of documents such as family registers and domicile certificates as followed in West Bengal are starkly different from practices adopted in other States,” she said.
Banerjee said that it appears to her that “an entirely different set of rules is being applied” for West Bengal, which is “contrary to statutory provisions and for reasons that remain inexplicable”.
Calling it “wholly against our democratic ethos, federalism and fundamental rights”, she said that it “reflects a dangerous design that must be stopped immediately.”
She has sought immediate intervention to restore public faith in our constitutional framework and democratic processes and to ensure the protection of the dignity and human rights of our people.”
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Source: EconomicTimes
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