New Delhi, 04 February (H.S.): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee passionately argued for 20 minutes before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls ahead of state polls, prompting CJI Suryakant to seek Election Commission's response for February 9 hearing.

Interrupting Banerjee's pleas amid repeated judicial rebukes, she lamented unresponsive EC correspondence—six unanswered letters—driving her to court, decrying justice's demise and selective targeting: Assam and northern states face no SIR—why only Bengal? She alleged deletions-only process (no inclusions), citing a bride's surname deletion post-marriage and BJP-state micro-observers due to state non-cooperation; CJI assured genuine voter retention.

Banerjee secured in-person advocacy permission, citing grassroots SIR hardships; EC's affidavit accused her inflammatory speeches obstructing process amid violence/threats to officials—unique to Bengal—claiming state obstructionism; January 19 order mandated public display of 1.25 crore 'logical inconsistencies' (e.g., 2002 list progeny mismatches: parental name/age disparities under 15 or over 50 years) at panchayat/block/ward offices.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar