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The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday directed the creation of Appellate Tribunals consisting of former Chief Justices and judges of High Courts to hear appeals related to voter exclusions in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The directive came during a key hearing of the case that has triggered intense political debate in the state and drawn attention in New Delhi as the process affects millions of voters.

SC Orders Appellate Tribunals For SIR Appeals

The bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said that individuals whose claims were rejected during the SIR process should have access to an independent appellate forum. To address this, the court directed the formation of tribunals staffed by retired Chief Justices and judges of High Courts, reported Live Law.

The order comes amid concerns that the revision exercise lacked a clear appeal mechanism for those excluded from the voter list. The directive also builds on earlier instructions from the court, under which judicial officers from West Bengal and neighbouring states were assigned to review claims and objections linked to the SIR exercise after disagreements arose between the Election Commission of India and the state government.

10 Lakh Cases Settled, Millions Still Under Review

During the hearing, the court was informed that a significant portion of the disputed cases has already been processed. According to a communication from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, around 10 lakh voters whose names were placed under scrutiny have already had their cases resolved.

However, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy presented a different estimate during arguments. She told the court that only 7 lakh cases had actually been settled, leaving about 57 lakh voters still awaiting resolution. The SIR exercise reportedly involves over 60 lakh names placed under consideration for verification.

Concerns Raised Over Appeal Process And Supplementary Lists

Counsel for the petitioners raised two major concerns before the Supreme Court. The first was the absence of a clear appellate mechanism for voters whose claims were rejected by judicial officers handling the revision process. The second issue involved the publication of supplementary voter lists, particularly for individuals whose objections had already been resolved.

Lawyers argued that the matter was complicated by the sheer scale of the process, with more than one million objections reportedly filed during the revision exercise.

Supreme Court Warns Against Questioning Judicial Officers

During the proceedings, Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasised that judicial officers overseeing the SIR verification should be allowed to perform their duties without interference. He warned that allegations questioning the integrity or competence of judicial officers would attract exemplary fines.

The Chief Justice also noted that if a voter’s case is resolved before polling day, that person would still be eligible to cast a vote.