West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday evening announced the temporary suspension of her five-day sit-in dharna at Esplanade in Kolkata, following a key directive from the Supreme Court on the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protest, which began on March 6, saw massive participation from Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and supporters, who rallied against what Banerjee described as arbitrary deletions of genuine voters' names and the placement of lakhs under "adjudication" or "logical discrepancy" categories ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The dharna was called off after the Supreme Court issued an order earlier today, directing the establishment of an effective appellate mechanism or authority to handle grievances arising from the SIR process. This includes providing avenues for appeals against deletions or flags on voter entries, with provisions for resolutions even near polling dates.
Addressing a gathering at the protest site before concluding the demonstration, Banerjee hailed the apex court's intervention as a significant win for democratic rights. "The Supreme Court order is a victory of the people," she declared. "It has opened doors that were shut by the Election Commission. This brings a new ray of hope for the people whose names were deleted or kept under adjudication due to 'logical discrepancy' under the SIR”, Banerjee said and then asked the crowd if she should now call off this protest for the time being.
Banerjee emphasised that the suspension was not a complete withdrawal of the struggle but a strategic pause to assess implementation. "We are temporarily lifting the dharna, but our fight for justice continues," she added. "We will monitor every step closely. If the spirit of the court's order is not honoured or if genuine voters continue to face exclusion, we will return stronger."
The decision aligns with suggestions from TMC leaders, including national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who had earlier highlighted the court's partial acceptance of demands raised during the agitation and urged supporters to prioritise health while sustaining pressure for fair polls.
The SIR exercise has been a flashpoint, with TMC alleging it disproportionately targets Bengali voters through mass deletions—over 58 lakh names reportedly struck off in draft rolls - and questionable categorisations. The protest featured dramatic elements, including appearances by voters wrongly marked "dead" who proved their eligibility on stage. Meanwhile, the Election Commission's full bench concluded a two-day poll preparedness review in the state on the same day, amid heightened political rhetoric. Banerjee had previously accused the CEC of high-handedness toward state officials.
Supreme Court on Tuesday directed formation of Appellate Tribunals Of Ex-HC Judges for appeals against exclusions. This after concerns were raised about the absence of an independent appellate mechanism. This follows the earlier directions of the Court, as per which Judicial Officers, from Bengal and neighbouring states, were deployed to adjudicate SIR claims, in view of the blame-game between the State and the Election Commission of India.
