Kolkata, 22 January (H.S.): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision process in the state and called for a united movement against hearing notices issued to eminent personalities, intellectuals and socially respected individuals.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Kolkata International Book Fair 2026, the Chief Minister urged people from all sections of society to come together and protest what she described as harassment in the name of the revision exercise.

In her inaugural address, Mamata Banerjee said that the Special Intensive Revision process was continuing in West Bengal and claimed that as many as one hundred ten people had died due to reasons directly or indirectly linked to the exercise. She alleged that the manner in which the revision was being conducted had caused severe inconvenience to common people.

According to the Chief Minister, during hearings on claims and objections to the draft voters’ list, people are forced to stand in queues for an average of four to five hours. She alleged that the Election Commission had failed to take these hardships into account.

Mamata Banerjee further claimed that the concept of “logical discrepancy” had never been applied in voter list revision exercises in any state earlier.

“This has been introduced only in the case of West Bengal. It is not happening in any other state,” she said.

The Chief Minister also criticised the manner in which hearing notices were served to renowned personalities such as Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen, poet Joy Goswami and several other socially acclaimed individuals, describing it as highly uncertain and disturbing.

“Earlier, it was the people who decided who would come to power. Now the Commission is deciding who will vote. This cannot continue. Everyone should protest against this. If a neighbour’s house is on fire, no one can remain silent. There must be a united movement against this,” she said.

On the occasion, Mamata Banerjee also stated that one hundred thirty-five books written by her had already been published.

“I have many more books to write in the coming days. One of them will definitely be on the harassment of people in the name of the Special Intensive Revision,” she added.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh