Mamata Banerjee calls ECI 'WhatsApp Commission' in Supreme Court
04 Feb 2026

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.

Banerjee seeks to quash SIR-related orders
Legal challenge

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.

'We are not getting justice anywhere
Voter disenfranchisement

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.

'SIR being rushed into'
Revision concerns

Banerjee questioned the timeline of the SIR exercise, arguing that it was being rushed into a short period when it should take two years.

She said, "They wanted to do something in two months which takes two years."

"BLOs committed suicide and they blamed the election officials. It is because of the harassment. West Bengal is targeted; why not Assam?" she questioned.