Story perspectives

SIR Rejects 27 Lakh West Bengal Voters, Opposition Challenges

By Drooid · Oct 2, 2026, 4:16 AM UTC · How we work

Center

Opposition Demands CCTV

The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal declared over 27 lakh voters ineligible.
Opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, are filing legal challenges and demanding CCTV footage of the SIR process.
Abhishek Banerjee asked the Election Commission to release CCTV from Rajarhat-Gopalpur and Bhabanipur counting centres.
The Supreme Court scheduled hearing on petition challenging Election Commission under Chief Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Right

Banerjee Accuses CEC

The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision declared more than 27 lakh West Bengal voters ineligible.
Mamata Banerjee said she cannot leave her house because of alleged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacks and called Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar “Vanish Kumar”.
Over 20 opposition parties met at the Constitution Club in New Delhi to plan protests.
The opposition planned to move an impeachment motion against the chief election commissioner in Parliament.

Blindspot

Retired IAS officer and former Union power minister Ajay Singh said the Special Intensive Revision removed roughly 13 crore voter records, amounting to about 13 % of West Bengal’s electorate.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Right-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

Following the 1999 Bihar elections, where the NDA won 41 of 54 seats and turnout reached about 60%, India intensified focus on electoral integrity. In 2024 West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision barred 27 lakh voters, prompting leaders such as Mamata Banerjee and Amit Shah to seek CCTV evidence and Supreme Court review. The 1999 experience shows how court involvement can drive voter-list reforms.

1 of 4

Opposition Demands CCTV

The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal declared over 27 lakh voters ineligible.
Opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, are filing legal challenges and demanding CCTV footage of the SIR process.
Abhishek Banerjee asked the Election Commission to release CCTV from Rajarhat-Gopalpur and Bhabanipur counting centres.
The Supreme Court scheduled hearing on petition challenging Election Commission under Chief Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

1 / 4