The Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to the West Bengal government, flagging non-compliance with its directions related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll and set a February 9 deadline for compliance reports.
In a letter to the state’s chief secretary, the ECI cited non-compliance with at least five directions. This came hours after Mamata Banerjee became the first sitting chief minister to personally argue her own petition before the Supreme Court and urged it to protect democracy and people’s lives. The court sought a response from the ECI on withdrawing notices to millions of people over minor spelling variations and dialect-based discrepancies during the SIR. The court will hear the matter next on February 9.
The ECI cited non-compliance with the filing of cases against two Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) for allegedly adding names of fictitious voters and compromising data security, suspension of an AERO, who deployed 11 additional AEROs to conduct hearings, cancellation of transfer of three Electoral Roll Observers, appointment of sub-divisional officers as EROs and Returning Officers.
“You are requested to send compliance...by 3 pm on February 9, 2026 [Monday],” stated the letter, a copy of which HT has seen.
{{/usCountry}}“You are requested to send compliance...by 3 pm on February 9, 2026 [Monday],” stated the letter, a copy of which HT has seen.
{{/usCountry}}West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been at loggerheads with the ECI over SIR. Banerjee on Tuesday targeted chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, and sought his impeachment. “We do not have the numbers [in Parliament], but impeachment can take place. There are provisions of impeachment. If any such step is taken, we would discuss it within the party. If something is taking place for the public interest, we all work together. I have no problem with that,” Banerjee told reporters in New Delhi.