New Delhi, April 20: The Supreme Court addressed ongoing controversies related to the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process of voter lists in West Bengal during a hearing on Monday. The court announced it would request a report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, particularly concerning the functioning of appellate tribunals established to resolve disputes related to the voter list.
Senior advocate Devdutt Kamat raised the issue before Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. He informed the court that despite previous Supreme Court orders, these appellate tribunals are not operating effectively. Kamat alleged that the tribunals are only accepting applications online, denying individuals the opportunity to present their cases through legal representation. Consequently, those whose names have been removed from the voter list are not receiving a fair chance to appeal.
Kamat stated, “The tribunals are not functioning properly. They are only accepting computer and internet-based applications. People are not allowed representation, and Supreme Court orders are not being followed.”
The court expressed concern over these issues. CJI Chandrachud noted that such complaints have been recurring. He emphasized that a report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court would be sought to clarify the situation. The bench remarked, “New complaints regarding this issue keep arising, so it would be prudent to obtain a report from the High Court Chief Justice today.”
This matter is particularly significant as the Supreme Court had previously ordered the establishment of these tribunals. In March, the court stated that there should be an independent appellate mechanism to resolve disputes related to the inclusion or removal of names from the voter list. This mechanism was to include former judges and chief justices of the High Court.
The court had tasked the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court with suggesting names for these tribunals, while the Election Commission was directed to formally notify them and cover the associated costs.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court clarified that individuals whose names have been removed from the revised voter list will only be able to vote if their appeals are accepted by the tribunal within the stipulated time frame.
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