West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of conducting a 'mechanical, arbitrary, and exclusionary' revision of electoral rolls in the state using Artificial Intelligence (AI). In a strongly-worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday, she alleged the process is disenfranchising genuine voters and violating constitutional principles.
Third Letter Flags 'Mechanical' AI Process and Harassment
This marks the third communication from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief since the Election Commission initiated the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in the poll-bound state. Banerjee contended that the current exercise, particularly in its second phase of hearings, seems designed not for correction or inclusion but 'solely for deletion and exclusion.' She described the process as 'driven by technicalities rather than a reasoned application of mind.'
The Chief Minister specifically highlighted the use of AI tools to digitize manual voter lists from 2002, which she claims has resulted in serious errors. 'Many genuine voters are being wrongly categorised as logical discrepancies due to this,' she wrote. She questioned the EC's rationale for reverting to a 2002 baseline, asking if it implied all subsequent revisions were illegal.
Eminent Names Among the Affected, Women Voters Targeted
Banerjee cited the alleged harassment of several prominent individuals to underscore her point. She noted that Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen, poet Joy Goswami, actor-MP Deepak Adhikari (Dev), cricketer Mohammed Shami, and the Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha were subjected to this 'unplanned, insensitive and inhuman process.' 'Does this not amount to sheer audacity on the part of the EC?' she questioned.
A significant portion of her criticism focused on the treatment of women voters. Banerjee stated that women who have moved to their matrimonial homes and changed surnames post-marriage are being summoned to prove their identity. 'This reflects a complete lack of social sensitivity and constitutes a grave insult to women voters. Is this how a constitutional authority treats half of the electorate?' she asked.
Procedural Lapses and a Call for Immediate Intervention
The letter also pointed out critical procedural shortcomings. Banerjee mentioned that the absence of proper acknowledgment receipts for documents submitted by electors leaves them vulnerable and without proof. This, she argued, places citizens at the mercy of potential record-keeping errors within the system.
Asserting that the EC's current approach is 'illogical and contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution,' the Chief Minister urged the poll panel to immediately address these issues. She called for an end to the 'harassment and agony of citizens and the official machinery' to safeguard democratic rights and ensure the SIR truly strengthens the electoral roll instead of purging legitimate voters.
