Kolkata, August 13: Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary and Lok Sabha party leader Abhishek Banerjee has challenged the BJP-led Central government to dissolve the Lok Sabha and direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list across the country, instead of limiting it to poll-bound states.
Taking to social media, Banerjee accused the Centre of betraying citizens after the ECI admitted that voter lists in several states contained irregularities.
“The EC itself has stated that voter lists, based on which the 2024 General Elections were held barely a year ago, are faulty and riddled with irregularities. If the Government of India accepts this, the logical first step to uphold moral integrity is the immediate dissolution of the Lok Sabha,” Banerjee asserted.
The TMC leader argued that accepting the need for SIR was an admission that the last Lok Sabha elections were conducted using a manipulated electoral roll. “If that’s the case, the current Parliament stands on compromised ground. The Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, elected from such a list, should resign. Assemblies in states where elections were held under the same flawed lists should also be dissolved,” he said.
Banerjee further urged the new Chief Election Commissioner to ensure that the SIR exercise is implemented nationwide rather than selectively targeting states heading to elections. He stressed that such a move is essential if the ECI wishes to maintain public trust in the electoral process.
Speaking to reporters outside Kolkata Airport on Tuesday, Banerjee reiterated that the SIR proposal is acceptable only if accompanied by the dissolution of the current Parliament.
