Politics around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls intensified in West Bengal on Tuesday after Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee claimed that Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen had been served a hearing notice by the Election Commission. Addressing a rally at Rampurhat in Birbhum district, Banerjee alleged that Sen was summoned under the SIR process, calling it an affront to eminent Indians. He urged party workers to “un-map the BJP from Bengal” and secure a sweeping victory for the Trinamool Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections due in March–April, PTI reported.
Celeb Notices, Sen Case Unclear
Banerjee claimed that several well-known personalities, including TMC MP and actor Dev (Deepak Adhikari) and Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami, were also issued SIR notices. He said the only response to what he termed an “insult” was to ensure Trinamool wins all 11 Assembly seats in Birbhum. While Dev and Shami were confirmed to have received notices, confusion prevailed over Sen’s case. A family member told PTI that Sen’s SIR enumeration form had been duly filled and submitted. Election Commission officials confirmed that a notice had been generated.
EC Sources Cite Technical Glitch
However, NDTV cited EC sources saying the notice was triggered by a spelling mismatch in the system and was computer-generated, adding that Sen may not be required to appear for a hearing. Another family member reportedly said no notice had yet been received. There was no official clarification from the EC. The SIR exercise has been underway in Bengal for the past two months and has drawn sharp criticism from the Trinamool leadership. After the first phase, over 58 lakh names were deleted, reducing the electorate from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore.
