In an unprecedented transfer, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appeared within the Supreme Court docket On Wednesday, she’s going to plead her case towards the Election Fee’s (EC) Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Register, alleging that the EC is “concentrating on” Bengal and “bulldozing” its individuals.
In a submission to a three-judge court docket, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief minister led by Chief Justice Surya Kant requested why solely Indian states have been being given particular standing when the EC was solely appointing micro-observers within the Bengal SIR when the train was persevering with in eight different states and three Union Territories (UTs) as properly.
Right here, we check out micro-observers, their function and the controversy surrounding the EC’s choice to nominate micro-observers in Bengal.
What did Mamata stand for?
Arguing her case within the Supreme Court docket, Banerjee argued that: EC focused Bengal on eve of meeting electionsequally requested why the SIR was not performed in Assam, the place elections are scheduled for March-April.
One of many CM’s most important issues was why the EC had deployed round 8,100 micro-observers in Bengal, bypassing the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), the authorized authority to revise the listing. She claimed that almost all of those micro-observers are authorities officers from BJP-ruled nations.
Earlier, Banerjee had additionally written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, questioning the SIR methodology and alleging that observers and micro-observers have been manipulating the information with an ulterior motive of subverting the method in Bengal.
What’s the function of a microobserver?
The EC has not made public the duties of the 8,100 microobservers in reference to the SIR train. introduced the appointment of particular function observers for eight SIR member states;
As of December 12, 2025, the EC has not made any assertion concerning the appointment of micro-observers in Bengal, together with West Bengal.
As reported by The Indian Categorical final month, micro-observers have been requested to examine the registers stuffed out by voters and digitized by their sales space degree officers (BLOs), in line with directions issued by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) workplace in Bengal. Examine the paperwork submitted by the electors. and observe public hearings held for electors to whom notices have been issued to determine eligibility.
In a letter to the CEO on December 19, 2025, the EC mentioned it had thought-about the previous’s proposal to nominate an electoral roll micro-observer in accordance with Article 324(6) of the Structure and Article 11.4.7 of the Guide on Electoral Rolls 2023.
Article 324(6) empowers the EC to nominate officers for elections and the revision of electoral rolls, stating: “…the President might also appoint, in session with the Electoral Fee, such regional commissioners as he considers crucial to help the Electoral Fee within the efficiency of the features vested within the Fee by paragraph (1).”
Part 11.4.7 of the Guide on Electoral Rolls 2023 pertains to ‘super-checking’ of electoral rolls by District Electoral Officers (DEOs), Roll Observers and CEOs. As for the listing screens, they’re required to examine 250 sheets every of their assigned districts.
The TMC claimed that micro-observers, together with staff of central public sector firms and banks, managed the login of ERO or Assistant ERO (AERO) on the EC’s centralized ERONET portal to course of deletions, additions and notifications to the SIR. In keeping with the Illustration of the Folks Act 1951, the authorized authority so as to add or take away names from the voters’ listing is ERO or AERO.
What’s EC’s stance?
Responding to Ms. Banerjee’s cost within the Supreme Court docket, the EC had argued that it was pressured to deploy micro-observers in Bengal because the state authorities didn’t have ample variety of Sub-Justice of the Peace (SDM) degree officers obtainable for appointment as EROs for Meeting constituencies. The EC mentioned the state authorities had appointed a junior official to the function of ERO as an alternative. In keeping with the EC Guide on Electoral Rolls, 2023, the ERO is often an officer of SDM or Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) rank, but when there may be not an satisfactory variety of SDM/SDO rank officers within the state, a Tehsildar or equal rank officer could also be appointed as ERO.
What are the precedents?
Micro-observers have been appointed by the EC previously, however solely on voting days throughout elections and never in the course of the electoral roll revision course of.
The EC has detailed manuals, pointers and handbooks for varied officers concerned within the electoral course of, from election observers to EROs and legislation enforcement businesses. Nonetheless, current paperwork from polling organizations don’t point out micro-observers for the revision of electoral rolls. Former CEC OP Rawat confirmed this and mentioned, “No micro-observer has ever been appointed for electoral roll revision.”
A mannequin guidelines for microobservers obtainable on the EC web site factors to a 2009 doc detailing the duties officers are anticipated to finish on voting day.
The EC’s guide on electoral rolls (2023 version) additionally doesn’t point out micro-observers. Nonetheless, the function of the electoral register observer is defined intimately. “The Electoral Roll Monitor shall be appointed by the ECI to help the DEO/ERO in the course of the annual revision of the electoral roll, take well timed remedial motion and in addition report the progress to the Election Fee,” the report mentioned.
The guide additionally states {that a} senior official within the rank of divisional commissioner will act because the electoral roll monitor.
