New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to be present in the Supreme Court on Wednesday as the apex court takes up petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out in the state.
Sources indicate that Banerjee, who has an LLB degree, has sought the court’s consent to present her arguments herself. An interim application has been filed through her counsel requesting permission from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to allow her to make submissions in person.
A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, will hear a batch of pleas linked to the SIR exercise. Apart from Banerjee, the petitions have been filed by Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen, as well as petitioner Mostari Banu.
Banerjee holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College under the University of Calcutta and is a qualified lawyer. Before entering active politics, she practised law professionally. Her last appearance as an advocate in a district court in West Bengal was on February 10, 1994. In that case, she successfully argued for bail for 33 accused individuals.
Court records show that an official entry pass has been issued in Banerjee’s name, signalling her likely attendance during the proceedings.
In her application, the Chief Minister has stated that she is a petitioner in the case and possesses detailed knowledge of the facts surrounding the voter list revision. She has assured the court that she is fully aware of Supreme Court protocol and will adhere strictly to established legal procedures if allowed to address the bench.
Banerjee has also pointed to her understanding of the impact of the SIR exercise at the grassroots level.
A day earlier, Banerjee had stepped up her confrontation with the Election Commission over the SIR exercise, saying she would pursue every possible avenue to protect democracy.
Calling the judiciary a key pillar of the Constitution, she said she had also reached out to the media, presenting what she claimed were victims of the SIR process so the nation could witness what she described as serious discrepancies emerging in Bengal before the polls.
Earlier, on January 19, the Supreme Court intervened in the matter, directing the Election Commission to ensure that the SIR exercise remains transparent and does not inconvenience voters. The court ordered the public display of names marked under the category of “logical discrepancies” at local administrative offices, where affected voters can submit documents and raise objections.
The Election Commission has explained that such discrepancies include inconsistencies in linking voters to the 2002 electoral roll, such as mismatched parental details or unusual age gaps. The court noted that around 1.25 crore voters in the state have been flagged under this category.
Banerjee approached the Supreme Court on January 28, naming both the poll body and the state’s Chief Electoral Officer as respondents. She earlier urged the Election Commission to pause the exercise.