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New Delhi/Kolkata:
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a series of significant directions while hearing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plea on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The court extended the deadline for completing the process and pulled up the state machinery over alleged obstruction.
The bench granted West Bengal an additional one-week extension for finishing the SIR exercise, noting that officials needed more time to verify documents and dispose of pending claims and objections. The earlier deadline of February 14 has now been pushed forward to allow smoother completion of the revision work.
In a separate but stern move, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the West Bengal Director General of Police, seeking his response to allegations that election officials faced intimidation, disruption and a lack of adequate protection while carrying out the SIR duties. The court expressed concern over reports indicating that the environment was not conducive for officials tasked with sensitive electoral responsibilities.
Delivering a clear message to all states, the bench underlined that no government should create hurdles for the SIR process anywhere in the country. The judges emphasised that revising and updating voter lists is a crucial constitutional exercise and must proceed without political interference or administrative delays.
The court was hearing petitions—one of them filed by Mamata Banerjee—raising concerns about how the SIR is being carried out in West Bengal, including issues related to the classification of voters and the handling of “logical discrepancy” entries. The Chief Minister argued that many genuine voters were being wrongly flagged, prompting a request for judicial intervention.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court reiterated that while it could issue clarifications and ensure fairness, it would not tolerate any attempt to derail the revision process. The bench also advised the state to ensure adequate deployment of officers as required by the Election Commission, stressing the need for full cooperation.
With the new deadline now in place, the state government is expected to speed up verification work and address the concerns raised. The next phase of proceedings will indicate how effectively the SIR process progresses under the court’s directions.
