NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Derek O’Brien has escalated the ongoing electoral disputes in West Bengal by filing an application in the Supreme Court. O’Brien's petition alleges significant procedural irregularities and arbitrariness in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

According to O’Brien, the ECI has been instructing ground-level officers through informal methods, including WhatsApp messages and verbal directives during video conferences. This practice, he asserts, undermines the legal and procedural integrity that must govern electoral processes. "The ECI cannot act arbitrarily, capriciously, or outside the law, nor can it substitute legally prescribed procedures with informal mechanisms," O’Brien stated in his application.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also spoken out against the SIR, alleging that the revision process is causing fear and distress among citizens, leading to severe consequences such as hospitalizations and even suicides. The TMC leader has indicated her intent to formally challenge the SIR process in court as well.

O’Brien's recent application refers to the draft electoral rolls published on December 16, 2025, claiming that these updates have aggravated difficulties for eligible voters. He highlights that the ECI only allowed limited time for revisions, setting January 15, 2026, as the last day for claims and objections. His application demands an extension to this deadline and requests that the court prohibits the ECI from using WhatsApp or similar informal channels for issuing critical directives.

Highlighting the constitutional role of the ECI, O’Brien remarked, "Such informal communication channels for an oversight of this nature have been unknown since independence and make a mockery of accountability in an essential democratic exercise." The implications of this case extend beyond West Bengal, as they affect the fundamental democratic rights of voters across India. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear the case, the focus remains on safeguarding electoral integrity during a tumultuous political period.