Mamata Banerjee Accuses EC of 'Voter Exclusion Drive' in West Bengal

• West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wrote to CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a 'voter exclusion drive'.
• Banerjee claimed the process is 'mechanical' and focused on deleting names rather than updating voter records, citing bias and insensitivity.
• She highlighted issues like coercive hearings for minor errors, harassment of women who changed surnames, and selective scrutiny in constituencies.
• A day prior, Banerjee led a protest in Kolkata against alleged misuse of central agencies by the BJP-led Union government, following ED raids on I-PAC.
• The political standoff escalated with the Calcutta High Court adjourning hearings and the ED moving the Supreme Court over alleged obstruction and 'stolen' documents.

Why It Matters: Mamata Banerjee alleges EC's voter revision is biased, while escalating confrontation with central agencies.