SIR smooth across India except West Bengal: Supreme Court
New Delhi, March 24: The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been…
New Delhi, March 24: The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been conducted smoothly across most states, except West Bengal, where multiple issues have been raised.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, challenging aspects of the revision process.
Court Notes Issues Limited to West Bengal
During the hearing, the Chief Justice referred to reports suggesting that the revision exercise had progressed without major disputes in other states.
“Except West Bengal, the exercise has happened smoothly,” the Chief Justice remarked, adding that there has been very little litigation from other states.
The Court noted that even in states with complex issues, the process was largely completed without major challenges.
Petitioners Raise Concerns Over Process
Senior Advocate Kalyan Banerjee, appearing for the petitioners, argued that certain categories, like “logical discrepancy”, were applied only in West Bengal.
He also pointed out that the transfer of the State’s Chief Secretary during the process was unusual and not seen in other states.
Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy requested more time before freezing the electoral rolls, citing the need to ensure fairness in handling objections.
Court Says Most Issues Are Administrative
Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, representing Mamata Banerjee, highlighted earlier directions of the Court, including setting up appellate tribunals to hear disputes.
The Court, however, observed that most concerns raised were related to administrative and logistical matters.
“Most issues involve administrative exercise,” the Chief Justice noted, indicating limited need for judicial intervention at this stage.
Petitioners also raised concerns about the non-availability of supplementary electoral lists.
In response, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said it is ready to publish these lists daily and has already placed a proposal before the High Court.
The Court said such logistical matters are being handled by the Chief Justice of the High Court and advised parties to report any ongoing difficulties.
The Court acknowledged the scale of the revision process, noting that over two lakh objections are being decided by judicial officers without breaks.
It also highlighted the pressure on officials, urging cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure smooth completion.
Next Hearing on April 1
The matter is likely to be heard again on April 1, as the Court continues to monitor the progress of the electoral roll revision in West Bengal.
