Banerjee & Bandopadhyay are the same, no logical discrepancy, Mamata’s lawyer tells SC

Senior advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay, appearing for former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that “Banerjee” and “Bandopadhyay” are the same surname and there was no “logical discrepancy” — a phrase coined by the Election Commission of India while questioning over 60 lakh voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.

Appearing before a Bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N.V. Anjaria, Bandopadhyay said his own son had been placed under the “list of adjudication” during the SIR exercise due to confusion surrounding the surname “Banerjee,” which he said is merely the anglicised version of the Bengali surname “Bandopadhyay”.

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The submission came as the Bench corrected itself while recording Mamata Banerjee’s name in its order while posting for May 22 the hearing in the Enforcement Directorate’s plea alleging interference by Banerjee during the agency’s raid on January 8, 2026, at the residence of Pratik Jain, co-founder of political consultancy firm I-PAC, which has been associated with the Trinamool Congress since 2019.

The ED has sought a CBI probe against the former Chief Minister and certain police officers who accompanied her during the ED raids on January 8. The agency and some of its officers approached the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution, invoking the apex court’s jurisdiction for protection of fundamental rights. This move was strongly opposed by the West Bengal government, Mamata Banerjee and the other respondents.

The respondents questioned the maintainability of the ED’s petition under Article 32, contending that the constitutional remedy is ordinarily available to citizens seeking protection of their fundamental rights against State action.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for one of the petitioners, is advancing arguments supporting the maintainability of the ED’s plea.

The matter was adjourned on Wednesday after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought deferment of the hearing.