SC verdict on SIR in Bengal, orders immediate appointment of judicial officers; Mamata Banerjee government faces criticism
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court of India has delivered a significant ruling regarding logical discrepancies found during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justice Jaymala Bagchi and Justice Vipin Pancholi, expressed strong displeasure over the lack of coordination between the state government and the Election Commission of India. The court has directed that serving and retired judicial officers be appointed immediately to resolve claims and objections related to the voter list revision. The bench observed that the ongoing blame game reflects a serious trust deficit between the state authorities and the Election Commission.
Draft voter list to be published on February 28
The court noted that the process is currently stalled over claims and objections from individuals placed in the discrepancy list who had been issued notices. Most of them have submitted documents seeking inclusion in the voter list. Judicial officers will now examine and decide on these claims. The Supreme Court has allowed the Election Commission to publish the draft voter list in Bengal on February 28 and stated that a supplementary list may also be issued later. To resolve coordination issues, the court asked the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to convene a joint meeting of all stakeholders, including the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, and Election Commission officials.
Concerns over appointments and alleged threats
During the hearing, the court raised questions about the state’s role in appointing officials for the revision process. The Election Commission informed the bench that it was not receiving sufficient qualified officers to verify claims, while the state government responded that details of 8,505 officers had already been shared. The Commission also mentioned receiving threats during the process, which the court described as alarming and inappropriate against a constitutional authority. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for the state, said that there are only 69 officers of Sub-Divisional Officer rank in Bengal. The bench remarked that the role of an Electoral Registration Officer is similar to that of a judge, as the officer must decide whose name remains on the voter list.
Low deletion rate in Bengal
Justice Jaymala Bagchi also pointed out that many Election Commission officials are not familiar with the Bengali language, creating practical difficulties. To improve coordination, the Chief Justice suggested appointing a judicial officer from the Calcutta High Court to act as a link between the Commission and the state government. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal agreed with the proposal. The Election Commission further informed the court that compared to other states, the rate of deletion of names from the voter list in West Bengal is among the lowest, and such discrepancies have primarily arisen in this state.