Amartya Sen SIR notice sparks outrage, forces EC to backtrack

The Election Commission of India (ECI) was left red-faced on Tuesday after reports that Nobel laureate Amartya Sen had been summoned over discrepancies in the spelling of his name in the voter list, prompting sharp criticism from political leaders and widespread public outrage.

The Commission later clarified that Mr. Sen, 92, is not required to appear for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing, a reversal that critics described as a belated attempt to contain the controversy.

TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee condemned the episode as a “cynical, shameful farce” targeting one of India’s most distinguished citizens. “A Nobel laureate should be above any suspicion, right? But what if he’s a Bengali? Then he’ll be slapped with hearing notices as if he were some common criminal,” Banerjee tweeted.

He added that Sen, a Bharat Ratna awardee whose work forms the bedrock of modern economics, had been treated in a manner that tarnished the pride of Bengal and the nation, accusing the EC and the central government of pursuing a divisive agenda.

Officials clarified that the issue arose from a minor spelling error in the voter list, which Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are authorised to correct administratively. “The confusion over the spelling is purely technical and has no bearing on the voter’s eligibility. Our officials have been instructed to resolve such matters at the administrative level to prevent unnecessary controversy,” a poll body official said.

Despite the clarification, the incident has drawn attention to deeper administrative lapses in the ongoing SIR exercise. During the first phase, around 1.36 crore voters were flagged for data inconsistencies, with roughly 59 lakh still classified under the logical discrepancy category after verification and corrections.

The EC has issued instructions for all State Chief Electoral Officers to submit daily reports on the service of notices and will hold an emergency meeting with CEOs from all States and Union Territories on January 8. Discussions are expected to focus on the SIR process, poll preparedness, and law and order issues.

Critics argue that the handling of Sen’s notice demonstrates a lack of foresight and sensitivity on the part of the EC. “At the age of 92, Dr. Amartya Sen is being asked to prove his Indian citizenship, even though his home in Shantiniketan is considered a pilgrimage site,” Banerjee said.

The episode has sparked nationwide debate over the poll body’s competence and the politicisation of what should be purely administrative processes.

With agency inputs