Mamata Calls Special Intensive Revision 'Votebandi' Exercise, Demands Immediate Halt

PTI, KOLKATA, NOV 10, 2025 : Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday dubbed the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as "votebandi", and urged the Election Commission to immediately stop the exercise. Mamata also said she was unable to fathom the "hurry" to conduct the SIR just before elections.

"The BJP-led Central government is harassing people in the name of SIR. Just like demonetisation was 'notebandi', SIR is 'votebandi'. It is another form of superemergency," she told reporters in Siliguri. "I do not understand the hurry in conducting SIR just before elections. The EC must immediately stop this exercise. The revision of electoral rolls cannot be completed in two or three months. It is being carried out forcibly," the Chief Minister alleged.

Mamata asserted that the BJP can send her to jail or "even cut my throat" for speaking out against SIR, "but do not curb the voting rights of people".

Meanwhile, as part of the SIR exercise in the state, more than 5.15 crore enumeration forms were distributed by over 80,000 booth-level officers (BLOs) on the fifth day, according to an Election Commission official. The exercise, which began on November 4, will continue till December 4. More than 5.15 crore enumeration forms have been distributed in the state up to 8 pm on November 9, the official said.