Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has reportedly been called for a hearing by the Election Commission in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal, the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress claimed. Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee made the statement during a public rally in Sen’s home district of Birbhum, amid the ongoing confrontation between the party and the Election Commission over the SIR exercise.
However, Election Commission sources clarified that the notice was generated due to a spelling mismatch in the enumeration form. They confirmed that Sen is not required to appear before the Commission for any hearing. The authorities have instructed the local BLO to correct the spelling error in the system to resolve the issue.
Officials associated with Amartya Sen’s trust told NDTV that no SIR notice has been received at his residence in Bolpur. Sen, who regularly casts his vote in Shantiniketan, last voted in 2014 and continues to hold a valid voter ID.
At the rally, Abhishek Banerjee criticized the Election Commission and BJP, accusing them of targeting individuals in West Bengal during the ongoing voter list revision. He claimed that other prominent personalities, including Trinamool MP and actor Dev, cricketer Mohammed Shami, and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, had been served hearing notices as part of the SIR process.
The Trinamool Congress also approached the Supreme Court, seeking intervention against the Election Commission. The party argued that the SIR exercise was being conducted in a disorganized, non-transparent, and haphazard manner, causing confusion among voters. The party expressed concerns over potential targeting and called for stricter oversight of the voter list revision process to ensure fairness.
The situation highlights growing political tension in West Bengal as parties and the Election Commission engage in disputes over electoral procedures. Officials continue to maintain that the notices in question were administrative errors and that no hearing is required for Sen or other affected individuals. The correction of discrepancies is ongoing to prevent further confusion, while the legal challenge in the Supreme Court is expected to provide clarity on procedural conduct during SIR.
