Former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Resigns From SIR Tribunal Position

Former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, who had been heading an Appellate Tribunal dealing with voter deletion cases arising from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, has resigned from his position, according to official sources. The tribunal was constituted to adjudicate appeals from voters whose names were removed during the electoral revision exercise.

Justice Sivagnanam, who retired from the Calcutta High Court, also chaired a three-member panel of retired judges appointed by the Supreme Court to supervise the functioning and procedural framework of the Appellate Tribunal. His resignation marks a key administrative development in the oversight mechanism of the ongoing electoral review process in the state.

In his resignation letter, Justice Sivagnanam cited personal reasons for stepping down from the post. No further details regarding the nature of those personal reasons have been officially disclosed. The development comes at a sensitive time, given that the tribunal was expected to play a crucial role in ensuring transparency and fairness in voter-related adjudications.

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Separately, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has relieved special poll observer Subrata Gupta and special police observer N.K. Mishra from their duties following the conclusion of the West Bengal Assembly elections, according to officials in the Chief Electoral Officer’s office. Both officials had been deployed to monitor electoral arrangements during the recently concluded polls.

The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections were notable for relatively peaceful polling compared to previous years, as well as a higher voter turnout. The Election Commission had earlier acknowledged the contributions of key officials, including Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Gupta, and Mishra, for their coordination in managing the election process effectively.

In another administrative update, the Election Commission lifted the Model Code of Conduct across West Bengal, except for Falta Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district. Re-polling in Falta is scheduled for May 21, with counting of votes set for May 24 after reports of alleged electoral irregularities during the earlier phase of voting.

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