SC To Seek Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Report On West Bengal SIR Matter

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will seek a report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court regarding allegations that appellate tribunals set up for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal are not functioning as intended. The matter was mentioned before a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi by senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, who raised concerns about the functioning of the tribunals. He submitted that appellate bodies meant to hear voter exclusion appeals were not operational and that lawyers were being restricted from effectively filing or pursuing cases, with processes reportedly limited to online submissions.

During the hearing, the Chief Justice expressed displeasure over the repeated mentioning of SIR-related issues before the apex court. However, the counsel for the petitioner argued that earlier directions issued by the Supreme Court were not being properly implemented on the ground, necessitating further judicial intervention.

Taking note of the submissions, the bench observed that it would call for a report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court the same day to ascertain the status of the appellate tribunals and their functioning. The court indicated that it would review the situation after receiving the report.

Also Read: BJP Chief Nitin Nabin To Hold Rallies, Roadshows Across West Bengal Today

The Special Intensive Revision process in West Bengal has become a focal point of legal scrutiny, particularly regarding the handling of appeals related to deletions from electoral rolls. The issue comes at a sensitive time, with assembly elections in the state scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29, followed by counting on May 4.

Earlier, while hearing related petitions, the Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission of India to issue supplementary revised electoral rolls to include voters whose appeals against exclusion are accepted by appellate tribunals. However, the court also clarified that individuals with pending appeals would not be eligible to vote until their cases are decided. In its April 13 order, the bench invoked powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure that decisions of appellate tribunals—once rendered within specified timelines—are reflected in updated electoral rolls with full legal consequences on voting rights.

The court had also dismissed a plea by 13 individuals challenging their deletion from the voter list during the SIR process, terming it premature and directing them to approach the designated appellate tribunals instead. In response to earlier concerns, the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court had constituted 19 appellate tribunals, headed by former judges and senior judicial officers, to handle appeals related to exclusions from the electoral rolls. The Supreme Court is now expected to review compliance after receiving the high court’s report.

Also Read: PM Modi Criticises TMC Rule Over Tribal Development In West Bengal Districts