The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed objections raised by the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally appearing before the Court to argue her PIL challenging the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State and seeking the holding of the State Assembly elections, slated in May this year, based on the 2025 electoral rolls.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria made it clear that there was nothing unusual about a constitutional authority appearing before the Court to argue her case.
“What is unheard of in it? This shows trust and faith in the Constitution. Don’t politicise this issue,” the Bench told counsel appearing for the Hindu Mahasabha, rejecting the objection outright.
On February 4, Mamata Banerjee had personally appeared and argued her PIL against the SIR. The Chief Minister, who had filed the PIL in her individual capacity, had sought the conduct of State Assembly elections on the basis of 2025 electoral rolls and the withdrawal of notices issued to approximately 1.38 crore voters in the category of “logical discrepancy”.
Addressing the court, Mamata Banerjee had alleged a large-scale targeting of West Bengal, stating: “They only targeted West Bengal on the eve of the election… They wanted to do something in 2 months, which takes 2 years… BLOs committed suicide, and they blamed the election officials… West Bengal is targeted, why not Assam?”
The Chief Minister had also criticised the deployment of micro-observers from BJP-ruled states, alleging political bias.