Supreme Court Directs Overhaul in Bengal's Electoral Roll Revision

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the West Bengal government and the Election Commission to offer full logistical support to judicial officers involved in the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi, announced that judicial officers have handled over 10.16 lakh claims and objections concerning electoral roll deletions. The bench emphasized that no new steps should disrupt the SIR process without the Calcutta High Court chief justice's consent.

Additionally, the bench called for prompt resolution of any technical difficulties on the Election Commission's portal, ensuring seamless operations. They also ruled that the decisions of judicial officers should not be subject to appeals by the commission's administrative officers. The Supreme Court asked for the formation of an appellate body, possibly including former chief justices and high court judges, to review appeals related to the SIR exercise.