Mamta Banerjee Takes SIR Battle to Delhi, Challenges Election Commission in Supreme Court

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has taken her fight against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) directly to Delhi, signaling a strategic political move ahead of the upcoming state elections. After presenting her case to the Election Commission, Banerjee publicly criticized the Commission and even called for impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. On Wednesday, she appeared in the Supreme Court to argue a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regarding SIR, accompanied by a delegation representing citizens affected by the exercise. The Court has issued notices to the Election Commission on the matter.

Banerjee has also published a book of poems titled SIR: 26 in 26, which features 26 poems addressing issues related to the SIR.

Projecting a Fighter Image

The Election Commission initiated the SIR ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, a move that drew criticism from opposition parties nationwide. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition figures raised concerns about the exercise at rallies and public meetings. Across 12 states, SIR implementation led to the removal of thousands of names from voter drafts. In West Bengal alone, 5.8 million voters were deleted, and 16 million were flagged for verification due to discrepancies.

In response, Mamta Banerjee directly challenged the Election Commission, presenting herself as a combative and proactive leader ahead of the March-April 2026 Assembly elections. Her assertive approach has reinforced her fighter image, signaling her readiness to mobilize public support.

A Career Defined by Struggle

Mamta Banerjee has long cultivated a reputation as a resilient and combative leader. Her 1993 Writers’ Chalo campaign in Kolkata remains iconic. She challenged the Jyoti Basu government as a youth Congress leader and faced political retaliation from Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, who removed her from the central government. In 2005 and 2007, she led protests in Singur and Nandigram against the Left Front. Even as Rail Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government in 2000, she opposed central policies over fuel prices, ultimately resigning from the post. Since 2011, she has remained in power in West Bengal.

Positioning Against Anti-Incumbency

For the 2026 elections, Banerjee faces anti-incumbency challenges, with the BJP raising issues such as corruption, law and order, and the Kolkata rape case. Leveraging the SIR controversy, she aims to project herself as a strong, fighting leader while countering these challenges. By drawing the SIR issue into the election narrative, Banerjee hopes to neutralize anti-incumbency sentiment and maintain her political edge.