Abhishek Claims Amartya Sen Summoned For SIR Hearing; Attacks Centre For 'Helicopter Row'
The Election Commission clarified that Nobel laureate Amartya Sen is not required to appear for a hearing as claimed by Abhishek Banerjee.
Published : January 7, 2026 at 12:43 AM IST
Rampurhat: Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee alleged that Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has now got embroiled in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) controversy. Banerjee made this claim at a public meeting in Birbhum on Tuesday.
The Trinamool general secretary said, "While coming to Birbhum, I heard that a notice for a hearing has been sent to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen by the EC. The man who has brought glory to the country and worldwide fame by winning the Nobel Prize, has been sent a notice now."
Several well-known personalities are among those who have been summoned for this process. A notable name on that list is the poet Joy Goswami. Besides, there are reports that actor-MP Dev has also been summoned for a hearing. According to Abhishek Banerjee's claim, Amartya Sen's name has also been added to that list.
Banerjee questioned why Amartya Sen, a recipient of the Bharat Ratna, would be summoned for a hearing. He also criticised the central government for the SIR.
Abhishek also mentioned the name of Mohammed Shami, who, he claimed, was also summoned for an SIR hearing. The MP said, "EC has sent a notice to Shami for an SIR hearing. He is the man, who has contributed to cricket worldwide, played in the World Cup, and brought glory to the country. Can you imagine?"
Nobel laureate economist Professor Amartya Sen is a 'Bharat Ratna' recipient. He is currently abroad. He is 92 years old. The Election Commission had stated that no one above the age of 80 would be required to appear in person. Therefore, even if he receives a summons for a hearing, he will not have to appear in person. However, it is still unclear whether he has received the notice or not. No statement has been received from the administration regarding this matter.
The helicopter row
Earlier in the day, Banerjee cliamed that the DGCA did not grant permission for Banerjee's helicopter to fly to the public meeting in Rampurhat. This prompted him to attack the BJP-led central government. After arriving at the Rampurhat meeting by a chartered copter from Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Abhishek declared, "My determination is ten times more than theirs."
He added, "I was supposed to arrive between 12:30 and 1:00 pm. The helicopter I was supposed to travel was stopped. The elections haven't even started yet; the dates haven't been announced, but they have already started a conspiracy against Bengal. I was thinking of coming by car, but it's a 5-hour journey. I am also very determined, so I used my intelligence and contacted the Chief Minister of the neighbouring state of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, and arranged for a helicopter."
On the other hand, the state BJP leadership rejected the allegation. BJP leader Debjit Sarkar said, "The Trinamool Congress is now seeing the shadow of conspiracy in everything. They know that the ground is slipping from under their feet, so they are making these allegations to divert the attention of the common people."
Sen not required to attend SIR hearing over spelling error, says EC
The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday clarified that Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, who was reportedly summoned by the EC over discrepancies in the spelling of his name in the voter list, is not required to appear for a hearing, an official said on Tuesday.
Since Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have the authority to correct minor errors, including spelling mistakes in voter names, the correction in the economist's case will be handled administratively at the local level, he said.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee claimed earlier in the day that Sen has been served with an SIR hearing notice by the EC. A family member of Sen, however, told news agency PTI that they had not yet received any hearing notice from the Commission.
"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," the official was quoted as saying by PTI.
The Commission emphasised that minor errors in voters' names do not affect the hearing process or a voter's rights, and authorities have been warned to avoid creating public disputes over such technicalities.
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