Politics in West Bengal is intensifying as the state gears up for assembly elections in March-April 2026, with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls emerging as a flashpoint. On Tuesday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee claimed that Nobel laureate and eminent economist Amartya Sen had been served a notice by the Election Commission (EC) for a hearing under the ongoing SIR process, drawing widespread attention and adding fuel to the party’s criticism of the exercise.

Addressing a public rally at Rampurhat in Birbhum district, Banerjee described the notice as an “insult” to the internationally renowned scholar. He said, “On my way here, I was told that Professor Amartya Sen, the Nobel laureate who brought global recognition to our country, has been served with an SIR hearing notice. Many eminent people like actor Dev and cricketer Mohammed Shami, who was part of Team India’s World Cup-winning squad, were also served notices.” He urged supporters to “un-map the BJP from Bengal” and win all 11 seats in Birbhum to respond to this perceived affront.

The TMC MP’s remarks were part of a larger narrative by the party alleging procedural lapses and irregularities in the SIR exercise, which it claims is being carried out in haste. According to TMC leaders, the process has caused unnecessary harassment for ordinary citizens, while targeting high-profile individuals has intensified public debate over the fairness and efficiency of the electoral roll revision.

Amartya Sen’s Side

While Abhishek Banerjee alleged that Sen had been served a hearing notice, a family member of the economist told news agency PTI that Sen’s SIR enumeration form had been duly filled and submitted to the poll body. The family further indicated that they had not received any official hearing notice from the Election Commission.

Election Commission officials in West Bengal confirmed that a hearing notice had been generated for Sen. However, NDTV cited sources within the EC, stating that the notice was “just a spelling error” in the system, resulting in a computer-generated notice being sent erroneously. According to these sources, Sen may not actually be required to appear before the poll authorities for a hearing.

The conflicting reports have led to a swirl of speculation in the media and political circles, with the TMC using the incident to highlight its long-standing allegations of procedural flaws in the SIR exercise.

SIR Exercise and Political Context

The SIR, which has been ongoing in West Bengal for the past two months, is a process of revising the electoral rolls with the stated aim of eliminating duplicate, bogus, or irregular entries. The exercise is being conducted in two phases.

The first phase of the SIR, completed last month, saw the publication of draft electoral rolls, which showed a reduction of over 58 lakh names, bringing the electorate from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore. The second phase, which began on December 27, focuses on hearings for 1.67 crore electors flagged under scrutiny. Among these, 1.36 crore individuals were identified for logical discrepancies, while 31 lakh were flagged for issues such as missing mapping of records.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. In three letters to the Election Commission and during numerous public rallies, she has highlighted the alleged hasty and flawed implementation of the roll revision, emphasizing that citizens are being unnecessarily harassed. Banerjee has also sought to link the SIR process with political objectives of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that it may be used to disenfranchise voters in favor of opposition parties.

High-Profile Notices and Public Reaction

Amartya Sen’s alleged notice is not the only one to have drawn attention. Actor Dev, whose real name is Deepak Adhikari, and cricketer Mohammed Shami, among others, were reportedly served SIR notices, prompting a debate on whether prominent individuals are being targeted disproportionately or whether the process is uniformly applied.

While the TMC has portrayed the notices as a deliberate attempt to intimidate high-profile figures, the EC maintains that the process is procedural, and any errors, such as in the case of Sen, are technical in nature rather than politically motivated. Nevertheless, the controversy has provided the TMC with fresh ammunition to rally its base and frame the SIR exercise as discriminatory and flawed.

Implications for the Bengal Assembly Polls

The ongoing dispute over the SIR comes at a politically sensitive time, with West Bengal preparing for elections to its 294-member assembly. The TMC, which is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, has made the SIR a central issue in its campaign, highlighting alleged voter harassment and procedural lapses. By bringing high-profile individuals like Amartya Sen into the narrative, the party seeks to amplify public attention on the EC’s actions and portray itself as a defender of citizens’ rights.

At the same time, the BJP and other opposition parties maintain that the SIR process is a necessary and legitimate exercise aimed at ensuring the integrity of the electoral rolls. They contend that the roll revision is being unfairly politicized by the TMC and that allegations of harassment are exaggerated.

Election Commission’s Response

The Election Commission has maintained that the SIR is a standard process carried out nationwide and that notices are issued based on discrepancies observed in the electoral rolls. The EC has stated that errors in notices, such as spelling mistakes, are technical and do not require undue concern. Nevertheless, the EC has been urged by various parties, including the TMC, to ensure that the process is transparent, error-free, and does not inconvenience voters.

Conclusion

The controversy over Amartya Sen’s SIR hearing notice has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the broader political struggle in West Bengal over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. While the incident may ultimately be a technical error, it underscores the heightened political sensitivity around the roll revision exercise and the potential for its exploitation in electoral narratives.

As the second phase of the SIR continues, with hearings of over 1.67 crore electors, the process remains under intense scrutiny. With the assembly polls approaching, any perceived irregularities or high-profile controversies are likely to be magnified, influencing public perception and political discourse in the state.