West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a significant protest on the streets of Kolkata on November 4. This demonstration is aimed at the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She will be joined by Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, participating in a rally that will commence from Red Road and proceed towards Jorasanko.
Although the TMC leadership has somewhat adjusted its stance from completely opposing SIR to focusing on preventing the removal of any eligible voters from the electoral lists, the planned rally is seen as a strategic move to maintain pressure on the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ECI is currently conducting the SIR exercise in twelve states, including West Bengal. The protest coincides with the commencement of the month-long door-to-door enumeration phase of SIR, which is scheduled from November 4 to December 4.
The Trinamool Congress has consistently drawn parallels between the SIR process and the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC), suggesting that the revision is causing distress among the populace. The party has cited instances of suicides, attributing them to the trauma allegedly caused by the NRC/SIR fears.
In a related development, the Trinamool Congress has lodged a formal complaint with the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal. The complaint alleges that Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, has been issuing threats to Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
Senior TMC leader and State Minister Aroop Biswas detailed in a letter to the CEO on October 31, 2025, that Mr. Adhikari publicly threatened BLOs with imprisonment if they failed to comply with his directives during a recent press interaction. Mr. Biswas urged the CEO to instruct the police to file an FIR against Mr. Adhikari for criminal intimidation.
In his defense, Mr. Adhikari stated that his remarks were entirely lawful and that he intended to repeat them. He emphasized that BLOs must operate impartially and not favor any political party, referencing a previous incident in Bihar where 54 CEOs were reportedly jailed for not adhering to Commission guidelines.
Conversely, State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya articulated his party’s conviction that illegal voters must be identified and removed from the electoral rolls during the SIR. Mr. Bhattacharya claimed that the Trinamool Congress is resistant to any deletions, even those concerning deceased voters.