West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging the process is being conducted using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and labelling it a "huge scam." She further claimed that this exercise is being used to "torture" the poor and common citizens in the run-up to the state's assembly elections.
Allegations of AI Manipulation in Electoral Process
Speaking at a political rally in Bankura on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the Trinamool Congress chief made the serious accusation. Banerjee stated that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is not being carried out through transparent, manual means but is instead leveraging AI technology. She did not specify which agency or authority she was accusing of implementing this AI-driven process.
The Chief Minister's core allegation is that this technological intervention is a deliberate attempt to manipulate the electoral roll. By dubbing it a "huge scam," she implied a systematic effort to undermine the democratic foundation of free and fair elections slated for 2026.
'Torture of the Poor' Ahead of Polls
Expanding her criticism, Mamata Banerjee connected the technical process to ground-level harassment. She asserted that in the name of SIR, the poor and the common man are being tortured. This suggests her belief that the revision exercise is being used as a pretext to target and intimidate specific sections of the electorate, potentially to influence their participation or eligibility ahead of the crucial state polls.
Her choice of words—"tortured"—indicates an allegation of significant administrative overreach and pressure being applied to vulnerable populations during the voter list verification and update process.
Political Context and Implications
This accusation comes at a politically sensitive time, with West Bengal gearing up for another major electoral battle. The Special Intensive Revision is a routine but critical exercise meant to ensure the accuracy of voter lists by including new eligible voters and removing duplicates or ineligible names. Any controversy surrounding its impartiality strikes at the heart of electoral integrity.
Banerjee's public condemnation, made directly to supporters at a rally, is likely intended to frame the narrative ahead of the elections. It positions her party as a defender of the common people against a potentially opaque and technologically manipulated system. The allegations, if not addressed by the concerned electoral authorities, could become a central rallying point in the opposition's campaign, raising questions about the credibility of the upcoming election process itself.
The use of AI in governance and electoral processes is a growing global debate, often centred on efficiency versus transparency. Mamata Banerjee's statement thrusts this debate into the centre of Bengal's fierce political arena, setting the stage for a contentious pre-election period focused on the very mechanism that determines who gets to vote.
