Election Commission Conducts Special Intensive Revision Amid Supreme Court Directives and Political Disputes

The Election Commission of India (EC) is conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across several states, including West Bengal, aiming to address 'logical discrepancies' such as mismatched parental names and improbable age gaps. The Supreme Court has directed the EC to ensure transparency by publishing lists of affected voters and allowing assistance during hearings. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleges the process is a 'software-intensive rigging' targeting Bengal voters, demanding greater transparency and fairness. Meanwhile, the EC maintains the SIR is a legislative exercise to maintain roll integrity, deploying additional observers to monitor the process amid political tensions and concerns over voter disenfranchisement.