TMC welcomes Supreme Court intervention in SIR exercise, calls it big victory for West Bengal

The Trinamool Congress on Monday (February 9, 2026) welcomed the intervention of the Supreme Court in the case involving Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal and called it a big victory for the State.

The Supreme Court said micro observers appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) cannot take decisions and directed the West Bengal government to make Group B officers available for the SIR. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who appeared before the top court in person on February 4, had said that micro observers had been engaged only in West Bengal and not in any other State where the SIR exercise was under way.

The top court has asked the ECI to extend the deadline for the claims-and-objections phase of the West Bengal SIR for a week beyond the current deadline of February 14.

“The Hon’ble Supreme Court has delivered a stinging rebuke to @ECISVEEP’s arbitrary overreach. In unequivocal terms, the Court has ordered that micro-observers can only assist EROs/AEROs and that final authority rests solely with EROs. Further, the Court has directed that 8,505 Bengal officials be tagged to EROs to support the SIR process,” the Trinamool Congress posted on social media.

‘Constitutional vandalism struck down’

The ruling party in the State said that the development blew apart the “ECI’s unilateral move to parachute micro-observers exclusively into Bengal, to influence, intimidate, and manipulate the process. That Constitutional vandalism has now been struck down by the highest court of the land. This is a big victory for democracy.”

The SIR exercise is on its last legs in West Bengal. The Chief Electoral Officer West Bengal had earlier sought an extension of seven days for the SIR process. The Trinamool Congress leadership, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has opposed the exercise in the State and has described it as an attempt to remove names of genuine voters from the electoral rolls.

“This is a big victory for democracy. A big victory for Bengal. And a big defeat for those who thought institutions could be weaponised against the people. The fight for citizens’ rights, dignity, and the sanctity of the vote will rage on,” read the Trinamool Congress statement on social media.

Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said it had now been proved that the Trinamool Congress made desperate attempts to remove micro observers.

Have right to challenge: Suvendu Adhikari

“The doors that Mamata Banerjee and TMC have opened at the Supreme Court will leave all the responsibility with AERO and EROs if suspicious voters are included in the voter list… As a party and as individual voters, we also have the full right to challenge this after the final voter list is published,” Mr. Adhikari said.

Also read: SIR hearing in Supreme court highlights

The BJP, which demands “purification” of electoral rolls in the State, said that it would not allow Assembly polls in West Bengal due in next few months unless the SIR was held properly.

In the first draft electoral roll published in December, around 58 lakh voters had been deleted under categories such as death, permanent address shift, and untraceable. There were over 1.36 crore people marked under the ‘logical discrepancy’ category and were sent notices from the CEO office asking them to appear for a hearing.