Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Mamata Demands Bengal Repoll, CEC Arrest Over SIR Dispute
Mamata Banerjee says West Bengal should hold its Assembly election again.
She wants officials to use the older voter list from before a review called SIR.
She also wants Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar removed and arrested.
Banerjee says the BJP and election officials harmed the earlier election.
These are political allegations and have not been established as official findings.
Her comments followed a report about disagreements among election commissioners.
The report said two commissioners objected at least 14 times to decisions connected to voter-list changes.
The Election Commission says questions and different opinions are normal during its work.
It says the full commission agreed on its final decisions.
Mamata Banerjee demanded a fresh West Bengal Assembly election using the voter list issued before the Special Intensive Revision.
She called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s arrest, removal and legal accountability.
Banerjee alleged that the BJP and Election Commission compromised the earlier West Bengal election through institutional manipulation.
Her demands followed an Indian Express report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months to SIR-related decisions.
The Election Commission said internal queries are normal and that all final decisions, including those on SIR, were unanimous and legally valid.
- Who
- Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister, and the Election Commission of India, including Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- Banerjee demanded a fresh West Bengal Assembly election using the pre-SIR voter list and called for Kumar’s arrest and removal.
- When
- Wednesday, September 23, following a report about objections by two election commissioners.
- Where
- West Bengal, with Banerjee also calling for protests across India.
- Why
- Banerjee alleged that the BJP and election officials compromised the earlier election; the Election Commission defended its procedures and unanimous final decisions.
Banerjee and Opposition Critics
Election Commission of India
Whether West Bengal should vote again
Banerjee and Opposition Critics
Banerjee wants a fresh Assembly election using the pre-SIR voter list, alleging that the earlier election was compromised.
Election Commission of India
The Election Commission has not accepted the repoll demand and maintains that the SIR exercise is being conducted under its statutory mandate.
Meaning of commissioners’ objections
Banerjee and Opposition Critics
Banerjee and opposition parties regard the reported objections by Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as evidence requiring scrutiny of the poll panel’s functioning.
Election Commission of India
The Election Commission says written queries and differing views during drafting and deliberations are standard practice and do not demonstrate a split.
CEC’s conduct and accountability
Banerjee and Opposition Critics
Banerjee alleges that Gyanesh Kumar and BJP-aligned officials manipulated the election and says he should leave office and face arrest.
Election Commission of India
The Election Commission says its orders have full legal sanction and that final decisions, including those on SIR, were taken unanimously.
- Main demand
- A fresh West Bengal Assembly election using the voter list issued before the Special Intensive Revision.
- Demand against CEC
- Banerjee called for Gyanesh Kumar’s arrest, removal and legal accountability.
- Political allegations
- Banerjee alleged that the BJP and Election Commission compromised the earlier election and manipulated electoral institutions.
- Reported objections
- The Indian Express reported at least 14 objections by Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over 10 months.
- Reported issues
- The objections reportedly concerned voter deletions, additions, electoral-roll data management and related orders.
- Protests
- Banerjee announced pan-India protests for as long as Gyanesh Kumar remains Chief Election Commissioner.
- Election Commission response
- The Commission said internal observations, queries and differing views are normal, while all final decisions concerning SIR were unanimous and legally valid.
