Supreme Court's Directive Sparks Political Battle Over West Bengal's Electoral Roll Revision

The ongoing political battle in West Bengal over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls intensified on Friday. The Supreme Court intervened by ordering the involvement of judicial officers to aid the Election Commission, a decision lauded by the ruling TMC as a win for the people.

The TMC argued that the deployment of judges substantiated their allegations against the Election Commission's irregularities. Meanwhile, BJP leaders criticized the TMC government for allegedly sowing confusion at the local level and claimed the state was resisting an essential electoral revision process.

The Supreme Court expressed concern over the 'trust deficit' between the Election Commission and the state government, and directed Calcutta High Court to spare judicial officers for the SIR exercise. This move follows ongoing disputes between TMC and BJP over alleged manipulation attempts of the voter rolls ahead of impending elections.