A day after Mamata Banerjee’s letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar urging him to halt the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken a jibe at the West Bengal Chief Minister. Without taking names Shah said some political parties are trying to weaken the campaign to eliminate the infiltrators.
While addressing the BSF’s 61st Raising Day event at 176th Battalion Campus, BSF, Haripar, Bhuj, Amit Shah said, “Unfortunately, some political parties are trying to weaken the campaign to eliminate the infiltrators. These political parties are opposing the SIR process and the Election Commission’s voter list sanitisation. I want to make it clear today that we will single-handedly remove all the infiltrators from this country. This is our pledge….”
“The SIR is a process to protect the country and our democracy. Today, I want to appeal to the people of the country to fully support the SIR process being carried out by the Election Commission. I want to warn those political parties involved in protecting the infiltrators that the Bihar elections are a mandate from the people of the country…” he further said.
What did Mamata Banerjee write in her letter to Gyanesh Kumar?
In a strongly worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday, November 20, Mamata Banerjee said the SIR has reached a “deeply alarming stage” and alleged the drive was being run in an “unplanned, dangerous” manner that had “crippled the system from day one”.
“The manner in which this exercise is being forced upon officials and citizens is not only unplanned and chaotic, but also dangerous,” the Chief Minister wrote, adding that the absence of “basic preparedness, adequate planning or clear communication” had pushed the process into disarray.
She also accused the Election Commission (EC) of thrusting the SIR upon officials and citizens “without basic preparedness”, flagging “critical gaps in training”, confusion over mandatory documents, and the “near-impossibility” of booth-level officers (BLOs) meeting voters “in the midst of their livelihood schedules”.
Citing the plight of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and inadequate infrastructure, the Chief Minister said that it is not possible to complete such an important process within the specified time. There will be a possibility of mistakes. The common man will be the victim, the administrative head also mentioned in the letter.
Chief Minister further wrote that by not cooperating with the state in this situation or not extending the SIR deadline, the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO’s) office in Kolkata is showing ‘fear’. BLOs are being sued and they are also being warned with “strict action” alleged the CM. Mamata Banerjee claimed that the Election Commission refuses to understand the ground reality.
“Instead of offering support, extending timelines or addressing systemic flaws, the office of the CEO in West Bengal has resorted to intimidation. Showcause notices are being issued without justification,” the CM wrote.
Mamata Banerjee urges ECI to halt SIR
The chief minister said in the letter, “I would request you to kindly intervene decisively to halt the ongoing exercise, stop coercive measures, provide proper training and support and thoroughly reassess the present methodology and timelines. If the path is not corrected without delay, the consequences for the system, the officials and the citizens will be irreversible. This intervention is not only necessary by imperative to protect the integrity of the electoral process and our democratic framework.”
Sharing herewith my latest letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, articulating my serious concerns in respect of the ongoing SIR…. pic.twitter.com/7cbOOQl7Ax
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 21, 2025
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