New Delhi: In a rare move aimed at breaking a logistical and political deadlock, the Supreme Court on Tuesday authorized the deployment of civil judges from Odisha and Jharkhand to oversee the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The decision comes ahead of the state’s upcoming Assembly elections and is intended to resolve a staggering 80 lakh claims and objections currently stalling the finalization of voter lists.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi, cited a “trust deficit” between the West Bengal Government and the Election Commission (EC) as a primary reason for judicial intervention. The court exercised its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure the integrity of the democratic process.
Addressing the Enormity of the Task
The legal intervention followed a letter from the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice, which highlighted the massive scale of the exercise. Approximately 250 judicial officers were initially assigned to handle 80 lakh cases involving:
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Logical Discrepancies: This includes “progeny linking” errors where parental names do not match or where the age difference between a voter and their parent is biologically improbable (less than 15 or more than 50 years).
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Unmapped Categories: Identifying voters whose data does not align with established regional clusters.
The Bench noted that even if each judge processed 250 cases daily, the task would still require 80 days. To expedite this, the Court allowed the Calcutta High Court to draw serving and retired civil judges with at least three years of experience from neighboring Odisha and Jharkhand. The Election Commission has been directed to bear all travel, boarding, and lodging expenses for these officers.
Timelines and Documentation
Despite the ongoing verification, the Supreme Court has allowed the Election Commission to publish the final electoral rolls on February 28, 2026. However, the Bench clarified that supplementary lists can be issued as the judicial verification process continues.
Regarding document verification, the Court issued the following guidelines:
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Admissibility: Both Aadhaar cards and Madhyamik (Class 10) Admit Cards/Certificates are valid proofs of identity.
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Cut-off Date: All documents physically handed over or electronically uploaded before February 14, 2026, must be considered for processing claims.
Ending the “Blame Game”
The Court expressed frustration over the “unfortunate blame game” between the state government and the poll panel, noting that their constant bickering had left the voter revision process in limbo. By installing neutral judicial officers from outside the state, the Court aims to restore public confidence and ensure a clean, undisputed voter list before the first ballot is cast.
