No SIR, no election: Bengal BJP chief Samik hails Supreme Court order, slams TMC

Kolkata: West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Tuesday declared “No SIR, no election”, insisting that the West Bengal Assembly polls must not be held until the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll is fully completed.

Addressing a press conference, Bhattacharya said the final voter list, scheduled for publication on February 28, should not be released until all pending applications and objections are disposed of.

“We are ready for elections, but voting cannot take place without a proper SIR. First ensure a correct voter list, then conduct the polls,” he said.

Squarely blaming Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and other party functionaries, Bhattacharya referred to a recent Supreme Court order permitting deployment of judicial officers from two neighbouring states in the SIR exercise.

He said the directive showed that the “highest court in the country has no faith in the Bengal administration.”

“It is a matter of shame that the apex court can also realise there is total politicisation in the Bengal administration under the reign of Mamata Banerjee.

The inclusion of judicial officers from other states in the SIR process in Bengal does not bring dignity and glory to our state, and the TMC is solely responsible for that,” he said.

He further alleged deliberate slowing down of the process by some state officials and inadequate recruitment of data entry operators, prompting the apex court’s intervention.

The TMC, however, blamed the Election Commission’s “arrogant attitude” for the situation and described the Supreme Court order as a victory for “Bengal’s Maa-Mati-Manush”.

In a post on X, the party said the court had effectively curtailed the ECI’s “unchecked discretion” by authorising the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to depute additional

judicial officers, including from Jharkhand and Odisha if required.