Mamata Banerjee calls ECI 'WhatsApp Commission' in Supreme Court
What's the story
Arguing before the Supreme Court against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sharply criticized the Election Commission, calling it the "WhatsApp Commission." She said that the commission was responsible for the widespread deletion of voter names and that Bengal was unfairly targeted in the ongoing SIR process. "The Election Commission... sorry, the WhatsApp Commission... is doing all this. People's names are being deleted. Bengal is being targeted," she told the court.
Legal challenge
Banerjee seeks to quash SIR-related orders
Banerjee's petition seeks to quash all SIR-related orders issued by the ECI on June 24, 2025, and October 27, 2025. She contended that the SIR exercise violates constitutional provisions and the Representation of People Act of 1950 and 1951. The chief minister alleged that West Bengal is being singled out for additional documentation requirements under this revision drive. Banerjee is representing herself in court, having filed an interlocutory application to plead her own case.
Voter disenfranchisement
'We are not getting justice anywhere'
To present her case, Banerjee had requested five minutes before CJI Surya Kant. "Sir, the problem is...in the end, we are not getting justice anywhere. I have written six times to the ECI but still not getting any reply. Justice is crying behind closed doors," the chief minister opened her arguments. At this point, CJI Kant informed Banerjee that many petitions had been filed regarding the Bengal SIR process, in which the court exhaustively heard the arguments of various lawyers.
Revision concerns
'SIR being rushed into'
Banerjee then went on to claim that the SIR process was being done only to target Bengal ahead of the state elections. She questioned the timeline of the SIR exercise, arguing that it was being rushed into a short period when it should take two years. "More than 100 people have died. Why after 24 years, what was the hurry to do in 3 months? BLOs have died because of the harassment...Bengal is targeted. Why not Assam...the Northeast?" she questioned.
Hearing
Micro-observers appointed only for Bengal, CM claims
Banerjee further claimed that the BJP had appointed "micro observers" to erase names. "They are targeting Bengal, only for Bengal they have appointed micro-observers. They want to bulldoze the people of Bengal," Banerjee said. She stated that the ECI was sending informal instructions over WhatsApp, calling it "WhatsApp Commission." At the end of the hearing, the bench issued notice to the ECI on Banerjee's plea, asking for their response by next Monday.