Mamata Banerjee Criticizes SIR Timing as Development Obstacle

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming it was timed to hinder state development projects. She urged officials to balance the SIR work with development, amid pressures and alleged political motives favoring the BJP.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the timing of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls of impeding essential development projects in West Bengal. During an administrative meeting in Cooch Behar, she asserted that officials were under intense pressure from both tasks.

Banerjee claimed the SIR was aimed at disenfranchising voters and aiding the BJP in future elections. Despite the workload, she urged officials to uphold development initiatives and asked district magistrates to support booth-level officers (BLOs) with their duties.

The Chief Minister criticized the election-related pressures, drawing parallels with the beleaguered aviation sector. She alleged that poor planning was leading to undue stress on BLOs and reported deaths associated with the SIR exercise.

(With inputs from agencies.)