'She raised the main issues', Manik Sarkar, former Tripura CM backs Mamata Banerjee’s Supreme Court stand on SIR process

Former Tripura Chief Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar has extended unexpected support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her recent appearance in the Supreme Court in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

Ahead of the assembly elections, reacting to CM Banerjee's address to the Supreme Court, Sarkar said her decision to argue the matter as an advocate was justified. “The Chief Minister of West Bengal spoke in the Supreme Court as an advocate. She is both the Chief Minister and a lawyer, but while standing in court, she clearly said that she had not come there as the Chief Minister; she had come as an advocate. That’s fair enough,” Sarkar said.

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He noted that CM Mamata Banerjee placed the core issues before the apex court in a structured manner. “She raised the main issues in six or seven key points. Let’s wait and see,” he added.

While acknowledging that the Chief Minister could have approached the court earlier, Sarkar said he did not dismiss her intervention. “Although she has delayed it, she should have gone earlier. I am not belittling the protest she tried to make. She has taken a proactive and effective initiative,” he said.

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CM Mamata Banerjee at the Supreme Court

Mamata Banerjee’s direct participation in the legal proceedings at the Supreme Court has drawn attention across political lines, given her dual role as a constitutional authority and a trained lawyer. The hearing related to the SIR process is scheduled to take place on Monday in the Supreme Court. CM Banerjee has earlier stated that she will appear again before the Supreme Court during the proceedings.

The development adds a new political dimension to the SIR case, especially with a senior Left leader publicly backing the Chief Minister’s legal stand.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, February 4, made submissions in the writ petition filed by her challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal. CM Banerjee claimed that justice was being delayed.