December 9, 2025
Kalyan Banerjee’s speech during the discussion on Election Reforms
Thank you, hon. Speaker, Sir. Sir, I am obliged that you are holding the Chair. Sir, after the commencement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), huge work pressures, inhuman work pressures, were faced by the BLOs. As a result, thereof, in West Bengal, 20 persons have committed suicide and suicide notes are there; five persons became ill; 19 persons have expired; and three persons attempted to commit suicide. Who will be responsible for this? Is it the Election Commission? And it has been pointed out that because of the pressure, they are committing suicide. Sir, this is not a lone picture of West Bengal. Let me tell you about Uttar Pradesh. अवखलेश जी नेइसकेबारेमंअभी-अभी बोला है। There were 10 persons. It is a BJP-ruled State. In Madhya Pradesh, there were 9 persons – BJP ruled State; In Gujarat there were 6 persons – BJP ruled State; Rajasthan जो वक आपका और बीजेपी का स्टेट हैthere were 3 persons, क्या कभी उन लोगं के पास आपके कोई एमपी या चीफ वमवनस्टर गए हं? क्यं ससाइि वकया? हम लोग गए थ ु े। In Kerala which is ruled by CPM, there were 1 person; In Tamil Nadu ruled by DMK there were 2 persons. The three are non-BJP ruled States, and five are BJP ruled States. Let me talk about some constitutional provisions and the law. Sir, Article 324 of the Constitution of India has given the Election Commission the power of superintendence, direction and control of elections, including the preparation of the electoral roll. Article 327 of the Constitution of India empowers Parliament to enact laws for the purpose of elections – elections to the House of the People, subject to the provisions made by Parliament from time to time by law, with respect to all matters relating to or connected with elections to either House of Parliament or to the Legislative Assemblies. Therefore, by virtue of this power under Article 327, this Parliament has enacted the Representation of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951. The Act of 1950 is the subject matter today because it deals with the electoral roll. The Election Commission keeps saying, “I have the power of superintendence; I can do anything.” But, with respect, I submit that the power of superintendence cannot override the power enacted by Parliament under any Act, under Article 327. How does this power operate? How will the electoral roll be prepared? That has been provided by this Parliament under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the rules framed thereunder — the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Section 21 and Section 22 of the Act deal with the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. Section 21(3) states that notwithstanding anything contained in subsection (2), the Election Commission may, at any time and for reasons to be recorded, direct a special revision of the electoral roll for any constituency or any part thereof, in such manner as it deems fit. If the word used is “Constituency”, we cannot read it as “Constituencies”. We cannot interpret this provision to mean that, by invoking the power under Section 21(3), the Election Commission can order a revision for the entire country. This SIR cannot be done. There already exists an electoral roll, and as long as this electoral roll exists, any election must be conducted on the basis of the existing electoral roll. Sir, these are the Rules – the Representation of the People (Registration of Electors) Rules, 1960. From Rule 5 to Rule 22, they deal with the registration of electors – how it is done, and how the electoral roll is prepared. Sir, here, more important is the Rule 24. Rule 24 speaks about this. If any constituency is delimited anew in accordance with law and it is necessary urgently to prepare the roll for such constituency, the Election Commission may direct that it shall be prepared by putting together the rolls of such of the existing constituencies or parts thereof and by making appropriate alterations. Therefore, the moment delimitation has taken place, electoral roll has come into force under the operation of these rules and only that roll will remain. How
does the 2002 electoral roll exist? Delimitation was effected in 2009. Electoral roll was prepared in 2009. All of us, many of us, have been elected and come to this House on the basis of that electoral roll. If this electoral roll comes, 2002 electoral roll has gone, it does not exist at all. The whole SIR is contrary to Rule 24 and also contrary to the constitutional provisions and the Act and that is absolutely unconstitutional. You cannot do it. It is not the whims and choices of the Election Commission or its caprice. Election Commission has to go by each and every word of the Act and the Rules. It cannot do the delimitation in this fashion. Sir, have you seen the enumeration list? In the enumeration list, it has the names of the relatives. Relatives are not defined under the Act. Relatives have not been defined under the rules. My brother is also my relative. My wife is also my relative. My uncle is also my relative. My father-in-law is also my relative. But the Form F has been made in such a way that unless the parents names are not there, they would not be treated as relatives. The app will not entertain. It will reject. Sir, the question is whether an app will decide who will be my relative. My brother is not my relative, my wife is not my relative, how can it be? If my wife’s name is there in 2002 list, if my name is not there in 2002 list, and let us assume that my parents have died, then, I will not be included. What is the ambition? What is the object? The object is the inclusion, and here, that object is being defeated. SIR is only to delete the electors. It is only to delete the electors. How will new voters come? What is the Election Commission saying? No, allow us to do this SIR.
Thereafter, we will take up the exercise of the enrolment of the new electors. Is it not contrary to the Act and Rules? Is it not contrary to the Constitution? Why can an elector whose name was there in 2024 be said, he is not for the time being an elector since his name is not there in 2002? You are taking away the right. Election Commission will take away my right to remain as an elector. Even for one day, the constitutional right cannot be taken away if right under the Constitution is there. Sir, one thing is there which is called voters’ right. Only in that case, you have a right to election. आप जब िोटर ही नहं रख रहेहंतो इलेक्शन क्यं रख रहेहं? िोटर को विलीट कर दगंेतो इलेक्शन का क्या फायदा होगा? यह पहलेभी था और अब भी है, elector will decide about the Government as to who will be my Government. अभी मोदी जी विसाइि करतेहंGovernment through the Election Commission मझुेिोट दने ेिाला मेरा िोटर कौन-कौन होगा, िह विसाइि करतेहं। Yes, Sir, Election Commission is a Constitutional body. Sir, so many persons have said this. Nobody raised any objection but you are raising an objection. सर, मं बोल रहा हू, इसवलए ऑब्ज ं ेक्शन मत कीवजए। आप सनतु ेरवहए। … इलेक्शन कवमश्नर के अगंस्ट कुछ नहं बोल सकतेहं, लेवकन इलेक्शन कमीशन केबारेमंबोल सकते हं। Sir, the relatives will be deprived of it. I am telling you an incident. One lady from my constituency came to me and said: “Sir, we have a great difficulty.” I said: “What has happened?” She said: “The names of my father-in-law and mother-in-law were there in the electoral roll of 1995. They were working in the Railway Department at Kharagpur. In 2001, at the end, they were transferred. In 2002, when the S.I.R. was brought in, as they were transferred, their names were not included. Thereafter, their names have again been included. Now, they are not enrolling my mother-in-law as the name of my father-in-law is not there.” What an unfortunate thing is going on in the country. An employee
has been transferred in 2002. Now, his name is not there, and there is no rule to enrol him. I asked her: “In case your father-in-law has expired, do you have the name of your uncle or not? If it is there, put that name. If the Election Commission does not do it, I will see to it upto the Supreme Court. I will let them know the power of Supreme Court.” Nobody is above the law. No one is above the law, and the final wording should be said by the Supreme Court of India. Aadhaar Card was not mentioned in the first enumeration list. In case of Bihar, Supreme Court has included the Aadhaar Card in the last list of documents, which has resolved so many problems.Sir, as far as the deletion part is concerned, I would like to know whether the objective of this entire exercise is to delete the names of the voters or not. This is a very crucial question. That cannot be the purpose. But, what is the Election Commission saying? They are saying that three lakh voters, five lakh voters or seven lakh voters have been deleted, and the BJP people are dancing in West Bengal. एक करोड़ चला जाएगा, एक करोड़ चला जाएगा। सर, यह कैसेहो सकता है? What is the Election Commission doing? They are busy in finding out whether an elector is a citizen of India or not. Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, Repression People’s Act, ‘an ordinarily resident’ can be enrolled, not necessarily the ‘citizen of India’. Who will decide this? Will the Election Commission decide who is the citizen? … सर, मझुेबोलनेदीवजए। आपनेतो फॉलो कर वलया, दशे का आदमी फॉलो नहं कर सकता है। दश का आदमी भी स े न रहा ह ु ै। आप वसफत अकेलेनहं सन रह ु ेहं। हमंबोलनेदीवजए। Who will decide about the citizenship? It should be decided as per the Citizenship Act, as per the authority. It should not be decided by the Election Commission of India. Even if any foreigner is there, who can arrest him? Is this the Election commission? Certainly, not. There is a law relating to that, and it will be decided according to that. To whom is this power given? This power has been given to the police. Therefore, the Election Commission is not the authority to decide who is a citizen and who is not a citizen. वबहार मंतो आप लोगं नेबहुत कुछ वकया। आपनेकहा वक हम सब घसपु ैवठयं को वनकाल दगंे। मोदी जी, जाकर स्पीच देरहेथेवक हम लोगं नेघसपु ैवठयं को वनकालनेके वलए एसआईआर वकया है। एक भी घसपु ैवठया वबहार केइलेक्शन मंनहं वमला। जब वबहार का एसआईआर हुआ, िहांपर एक भी घसपु ैवठया नहं वमला। अर, घे सपु ैवठया लेकर क्या करगा? Where are the े foreigners? You have failed to discharge your duties. If the foreigners have come, where are they? The BSF could not detect them. The CISF could not detect them.That is not the fault of anyone else. सवनए सर, आप इतनी बात ु ंबोल रहेहं। अभी वमजोरम मंक्या हुआ। The power has been given to the authorities in Mizoram … गह म ृ त्रालय न ं ेवमजोरम को परवमट कर वदया है, जो बाहर सेआते हं, उनकी एट्री करो। Why? What is the reason? Is the State of Mizoram ं a favourite child of Shri Narendra Modi ji and Shri Amit Shah ji? If someone speaks Bengali in Delhi, would you say that he or she should be arrested. You have seen the order of the Supreme Court. पहलेउनको लेआइए उसके बाद उन पर विचार होगा। सोनाली बीबी को लेआना पड़ा, उसकेबाद विचार होगा। दश स े ेसभी बगाली लोग को रोवह ं ग्या बोलकर वनकाल ं दगंे और रोवहग्या कहा ं ं आ रहेहं, रोवहग्या वमजोरम म ं ंआ रहेहंunder the directions issued by the Home Ministry. I understand the problem. The BJP is basically Bengali … That is the reason Vidyasagar’s statue was broken. That is the reason Raja Ram Mohan Roy has been seriously criticised. … They hate Bengalis. This is your work that you have done. Sir, I will be very quick and cover three or four points more. Sir, give me five minutes more. It is stated that the process has caused panic, but do not cut it from Shatabdi. There has been a suicide attempt due to SIR panic.A mother attempted suicide along with the child under the documentation fear. The Matua community went on a hunger strike. Sir, do you know what is happening? One of the Ministers of State belonging to the BJP, sitting in West Bengal, is giving citizenship certificate to Matua community. Can you imagine? But, the Central Government is not arresting that Minister. This certificate will be given under the Citizenship Act, not under any other law. Sir, in my constituency, labour from Matua community cast vote for me. When SIR was going on in one of the areas in my constituency, Domjur, Jagadishpur, a large number of people from Matua community came to me and said that their names would not be there. I asked them not to worry, I am here and Mamata Banerjee is here. We will see them in the political fight and in the Supreme Court also. Sir, BLOs are linked with the SIR. Wi-fi connectivity is not available in the remote villages and you are saying that they have to work there. Even in the Panchayat Office, the Election Commission is not allowing the BLOs to function from where the wifi connectivity is available. Sir, BSF exercises quasi-judicial authority deciding who will be the citizen of this country. The residents from the border districts experience constant fear of noncitizenship due to lack of proper adjudication procedure. I have spoken about the BLOs only. I have not spoken about the voters. When the SIR started, illegal pushback practice has commenced. All of a sudden, they have risen to push back the foreigners. Sir, I thank you. At least, you have tolerated me this time. … I am grateful to you.
