In a significant move to ensure the integrity of the upcoming elections in West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Monday declared that central security forces will remain deployed in the state following recent incidents of disruption. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M Pancholi noted that approximately 59.15 lakh claims and objections regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had been resolved by noon today.
The court’s intervention comes amid reports of judicial officers facing “gheraos” and threats while processing nearly 60 lakh cases of individuals removed from the voters’ list.
Addressing the security concerns, Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasized that the central forces would not be withdrawn “looking at the way things have happened in the past.” The bench issued a stern warning regarding the safety of the judicial process, stating, “If state machinery fails, then we will see what can be done.”
The court highlighted that even in the volatile Malda district, where judicial officers reportedly faced significant obstruction, approximately eight lakh cases were successfully disposed of.
Senior advocate D.S. Naidu, representing the Election Commission (EC), informed the bench that the remaining claims would be settled by the end of the day. A supplementary electoral roll is scheduled for publication late Monday night.
To facilitate the administrative transition, the court extended the deadline for uploading digital signatures until April 7. Justice Bagchi underscored the Election Commission’s fundamental responsibility during the hearing, stating that its role is to “expand electoral participation rather than restrict it.”
The proceedings also addressed concerns raised by Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who noted that 19 appellate tribunals established to hear challenges against voter deletions were not yet fully operational.
In response, the Supreme Court directed the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to form a three-member panel of former senior judges. This panel is tasked with:
- Framing uniform procedures for the tribunals.
- Finalizing guidelines by April 7 to ensure the “expeditious disposal of appeals.”
The court clarified that these tribunals possess the authority to examine the merits of inclusions or exclusions and can review physical documentary evidence, including records not currently available online.
The bench emphasized the necessity of creating a safe and fair environment to allow these tribunals to function effectively as the state moves toward the polling date.
