'Silent invisible rigging': Abhishek Banerjee's take on Election Commission's SIR process

New Delhi, July 30 Trinamool Congress General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, on Wednesday, accused the Centre's ruling BJP of using the Election Commission of India (ECI) to snatch away voting rights of a large number of people as he dubbed the poll-panel-initiated "Special Intensive Revision" as "Silent Invisible Rigging".

"The Election Commission has started conducting SIR in favour of the BJP. With this process, the poll panel is trying to snatch away the voting rights of a large number of people who decide the fate of a government. It is working in a partisan manner. They have done it in Bihar, and I believe people of Bihar will give them a befitting reply," Banerjee told the media persons in the Parliament premises amid the ongoing Monsoon session.

He also alleged that the BJP got scared of the people's mandate and that is why they resorted to such tactics to turn elections in their favour.

The Trinamool General Secretary, who is also the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said if the ECI decided to conduct SIR in West Bengal, then it would result in a favourable mandate for the Trinamool.

"If they conduct the exercise in Bengal, then people would shower their love and blessings on Mamata Banerjee. The Trinamool Congress will produce a better electoral performance than the 2021 Assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha polls," he said.

He further claimed that people would vote against the BJP in the coming elections. "We will not let them stop people from voting. If needed, then we will hold a bigger protest movement against SIR in the national capital. But their ploy will not work in Bengal," said Banerjee.

The statement from Banerjee came amidst concern that the Election Commission is planning to conduct a special intensive revision of the voters’ list of West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. The ECI recently concluded a special intensive revision of the voters’ list in neighbouring Bihar, where more than 60 lakh people were described as doubtful voters.

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