Bengali cinema superstar and Trinamool Congress MP Dev, also known as Deepak Adhikari, has received a summons for an SIR (Special intensive Revision of electoral rolls) hearing from the West Bengal State Election Commission. It has been reported that three other members of his family have also been sent hearing notices. Local councillor Mousumi Das has confirmed the news. However, the date and time when they are required to appear at the hearing centre and present their documents are not yet known.
Neither the celebrity Trinamool MP Dev nor his family members have commented on receiving the SIR hearing notice. However, the ruling party alleges that sending such a notice to Dev, a busy actor and elected representative, is purely an act of harassment.
Actor-politician Dev’s ancestral home is in Ghatal, West Midnapore district of West Bengal, where he was born. Later, due to his father’s work, Dev and his family moved to Mumbai. Much later, he settled permanently in Kolkata due to his acting career. His permanent address is the South City residential complex in South Kolkata. Besides being a Tollywood superstar, Dev is now also a political figure. He is a three-time MP from his birthplace, Ghatal. Dev, or Deepak Adhikari, manages his career and public service simultaneously. Even such a prominent personality is being asked to prove his citizenship, according to the Election Commission’s directive. Not only Dev, but three members of his family have also been summoned for the hearing.
Mamata Banerjee writes to CEC Gyanesh Kumar calling SIR a “reign of undemocratic chaos”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, describing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) as a “reign of undemocratic chaos.” The Chief Minister demanded an immediate halt to the process, alleging it has become a “farce” that threatens to disenfranchise millions of legitimate voters ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
In her communication dated January 3, 2026, Banerjee accused the Election Commission (EC) of creating an atmosphere of fear. She claimed that voters are being summoned for hearings without being informed of the specific reasons, leading to widespread anxiety and harassment.
“Citizens are being called for hearings without knowing why, causing unnecessary panic. No clear guidelines are being provided regarding required documentation, and many are not even receiving receipts for the documents they do submit,” the Chief Minister stated.
She further alleged that the process is being handled with a total lack of preparation, citing instances where elderly and ill citizens were forced to travel up to 25 kilometers to attend centralized hearings.
A major point of contention raised by the CM is the alleged disparity in how the SIR is being conducted in West Bengal compared to other states like Bihar. Banerjee pointed out that while Bihar accepted family registers as valid identity proof, the same is reportedly being denied in Bengal.