New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday issued a stern warning to all parties involved in the dispute over the revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal, cautioning them against questioning the integrity of judicial officers assigned to review voter deletions.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant strongly criticised attempts to cast doubt on the officers who are currently examining appeals filed by individuals whose names were removed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. The Chief Justice said the officers were already working extended hours to process the large number of complaints and should not face unwarranted allegations.
During the hearing, the court emphasised that the judicial officers—drawn from West Bengal and neighbouring states—were performing a critical role in adjudicating disputes related to the revision exercise. The bench warned petitioners not to challenge their credibility and stressed that their decisions must be treated with due respect.
The court also directed the Election Commission of India and the state government led by Mamata Banerjee to extend full logistical and administrative support to the officers handling the appeals.
The strong remarks from the bench came after a new application surfaced that raised questions about the rulings made by the court-appointed officials. Expressing dissatisfaction, the Chief Justice said the court was concerned about the conduct of both sides in the litigation and asked them to clarify who had submitted the plea.
Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy and Trinamool Congress MP and lawyer Kalyan Banerjee, appearing for the petitioners, informed the court that they were unaware of any application challenging the judicial officers.
In a significant direction, the apex court ordered the formation of appellate tribunals to hear challenges against decisions made by the judicial officers during the revision process. These tribunals will be made up of former High Court chief justices and retired judges, providing an independent forum for further review.
The court said that voters dissatisfied with the rulings of the judicial officers would be able to approach these tribunals for relief. It also clarified that such decisions would not be subject to review by any executive or administrative authority.
To facilitate the process, the court requested the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to recommend former chief justices and judges, preferably from the Calcutta High Court or neighbouring states, to serve on the appellate bodies. Once recommended, the Election Commission will formally notify them as members of the tribunals.
The bench also asked the Chief Justice of the High Court to determine the structure of the tribunal benches and fix the honorarium for the retired judges who agree to serve. The expenses for the tribunals will be borne by the Election Commission.
The court further addressed concerns regarding the publication of supplementary voter lists after the disposal of objections, particularly given the large number of complaints—reportedly exceeding one million. Both sides were granted the liberty to raise these concerns before the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court for appropriate directions.
