SC allows excluded voters in Bengal to vote if appeals cleared before poll dates
New Delhi, April 16: In a key order on West Bengal’s electoral roll revision, the Supreme Court has allowed persons excluded…
New Delhi, April 16: In a key order on West Bengal’s electoral roll revision, the Supreme Court has allowed persons excluded from voter lists to cast their votes if their appeals are accepted before specified cut-off dates.
Relief linked to appeal outcomes, not pendency
The court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue supplementary electoral rolls to include such voters. Those whose appeals are allowed by April 21 will be eligible to vote in the first phase on April 23, while those cleared by April 27 can vote in the second phase on April 29.
However, the bench made it clear that merely filing an appeal will not grant voting rights. Only those whose appeals are decided in their favour by appellate tribunals will be included in the revised rolls.
Massive revision exercise, next hearing on April 24
The bench, led by the Chief Justice of India and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, invoked Article 142 to ensure implementation of tribunal decisions before polling. It noted that over 60 lakh objections were processed and more than 34 lakh appeals filed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The court also acknowledged the role of judicial officers from West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha in completing the large-scale verification exercise within a short time.
Rejecting the demand for interim voting rights during pending appeals, the court said such a move would create administrative complications and undermine the revision process.
The matter will be heard next on April 24.
