SC's latest directive on SIR in West Bengal a strong reply to Mamata's attempts at misleading people: BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday termed the Supreme Court's observations and directive to the West Bengal government on the SIR of the electoral rolls in the state a "strong reply" to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's attempts at misleading people, and said she has no other option but to follow the path of democracy.

This came after the top court made it clear that it would not allow anyone to create any impediment in the completion of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and asked the West Bengal police chief to file an affidavit on the Election Commission's allegation of burning of its notices by miscreants.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria noted that in its January 19 order, it had instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal, superintendents of police of each district, and the collectors to ensure that there were no law and order problems at the location and that the entire activity proceeds smoothly.

Commenting on the development, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "The division bench clearly said that it would issue whatever orders or clarifications are required in the matter, but it will not allow any impediment in the SIR… I think this is a strong reply to Mamata Banerjee, who had been misleading people on the SIR process." He charged that Banerjee has been dubbing the exercise "anti-democratic" and a "conspiracy" against West Bengal, and was demanding that it be stopped.

"In the Supreme Court, Indian democracy has recorded a major victory and the victim card that Mamata Banerjee was carrying slipped out of her hands. Those who were misleading Bengal and the country over SIR have suffered a defeat in the Supreme Court today," he told reporters here.

Patra said the show-cause notice that the top court has issued to the West Bengal police chief is, in a way, served on the state's chief minister.

"You (Banerjee) have been showcaused because of various liabilities. He (DGP) is your junior officer, and the responsibility squarely falls upon you," he argued. The BJP leader hoped that Banerjee would take "some lessons" from what the Supreme Court has said in the matter.

"I am sure she is left with no option but to follow the path of democracy. But I still doubt the nature of Mamata Banerjee, given her unpredictiveness. We have often seen in the past that despite the court rulings, she has taken the path of violence and non-cooperation," Patra said.

BJP co-incharge for West Bengal Amit Malviya said the Supreme Court's observations on the plea filed by the state government are nothing short of a "major blow" to Banerjee.

"The Court has unequivocally upheld the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and refused to grant any stay, firmly endorsing the Election Commission's statutory authority," he said in a post on X.

Malviya said the court's order also reinforces one "simple truth" that the constitutional institutions will not bend before political pressure and the rule of law will prevail in Bengal.

"Had the state government acted responsibly earlier, ordinary citizens of Bengal would not have been subjected to what the chief minister herself termed as 'harassment', " he added.

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari termed the apex court's observations and directive to West Bengal as a "tight slap" to the ruling TMC. "The Supreme Court has now completely blown the lid off Mamata Banerjee's lies," he said in a post on X.