New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday appeared in person before the Supreme Court and told the Chief Justice that justice was crying behind closed doors, as she pressed her challenge against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls in the state.
Banerjee sought permission from the court to argue her own case, filing an application to appear as a party in person. Official arrangements confirmed her presence in Courtroom 1 along with her legal team. The matter was heard by a bench comprising the Chief Justice of India along with two other judges.
The petition questions the ongoing revision of electoral rolls being carried out by the Election Commission ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Similar pleas filed by Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen have also been tagged with the case.
In her application, the chief minister stated that she was fully conversant with the facts and legal aspects of the matter and that her personal participation would assist the court in understanding the ground realities. She highlighted that she holds a law degree and had practised earlier, assuring the bench that she would strictly follow court procedures.
Banerjee has argued that the revision exercise could lead to large scale exclusion of genuine voters and may affect the fairness of the upcoming elections. Her main petition seeks cancellation of several directions issued by the Election Commission under the Special Intensive Revision programme and demands that the polls be conducted on the basis of the existing voter lists.
She has also urged the court to ensure that minor name mismatches or spelling differences are not treated as discrepancies requiring hearings. According to her plea, such corrections should be carried out automatically using available official records, and all government issued identification documents should be accepted as valid proof.
The Special Intensive Revision is intended to verify and update voter data, but the Trinamool Congress has described the process as hurried and prone to mistakes. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the poll body to maintain transparency, display discrepancy lists publicly and provide easy facilities for submission of documents.
The hearing is being closely watched in West Bengal as it could have a direct impact on the electoral process in the state, where political temperatures are already rising ahead of next year’s assembly contest.
