West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reached the Supreme Court of India. She will be present in the court for a crucial hearing on the petitions challenging the Election Commission`s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
The Chief Minister had earlier also moved an interlocutory application seeking permission to appear and argue in person, as reported by news agency PTI.
As per PTI, Mamata Banerjee is personally present in courtroom along with her lawyers. The news agency also reported that a gate pass was issued in the Chief Minister`s name on Tuesday.
As per the Supreme Court’s website, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi is scheduled to hear the petitions of Banerjee and three others filed by Mostari Banu and TMC MPs Derek O`Brien and Dola Sen.
Mamata left the residence of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in New Delhi earlier today as she headed to the Supreme Court ahead of the hearing. Additionally, heavy security was deployed at the Supreme Court ahead of the hearing on the SIR row.
Earlier on Monday, Mamata Banerjee, along with Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, party MP Kalyan Banerjee, and others, had also met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi.
PTI sources said that despite the polite posture of the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners, the Trinamool Congress leader “raised false allegations, misbehaved, thumped the table and left”. “The CEC responded to her queries and explained that the rule of law shall prevail and anybody taking the law into their own hands shall be dealt with strictly as per the provisions of law and powers vested in the Commission.”
The SIR row
The Supreme Court earlier had also directed the Election Commission of India to publish the names of voters categorised under the “Logical Discrepancy” list during the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls in Tamil Nadu, as per PTI.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued the directions while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the SIR process in Tamil Nadu on grounds of procedural irregularities.
The Court said that the names must be displayed at gram panchayat bhawans, taluka offices in every subdivision, and ward offices in urban areas. Those whose names appear on the list may submit documents within 10 days from the date of display, either personally or through authorised representatives.
(With inputs from PTI)