The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publicly display the names of 1.25 crore voters in West Bengal who figure on the “logical discrepancies” list, as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi ordered that the list be made available at gram panchayat bhavans, block offices of talukas, and ward offices to ensure transparency and provide affected individuals an opportunity to respond.
The discrepancies flagged by the ECI relate to errors in progeny linkage with the 2002 voter list. These include mismatches in the name of the parent or implausible age differences — such as a voter being less than 15 years or more than 50 years younger than their parent as recorded.
The court acknowledged that the SIR exercise had triggered concerns over procedural fairness and arbitrary deletion of names, prompting a slew of petitions challenging its implementation.
To address these concerns, the Supreme Court directed that all affected voters must be given a chance to submit objections or relevant documents. It said dedicated offices must be set up for this purpose within panchayat and block offices.
“The state government shall provide adequate manpower to the State Election Commission for deployment at these locations,” the bench directed.
Further, the court asked all district administrations to ensure “meticulous compliance” with directions issued either by the Election Commission or the state government, especially in terms of staffing and infrastructure support.
Acknowledging the charged political atmosphere around voter list revisions, the bench also tasked the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) with maintaining law and order.
“The DGP shall ensure there is no law-and-order problem and that all activities are completed smoothly,” the bench stated.
The court was hearing petitions that raised allegations of arbitrary removals and procedural lapses in the ECI’s SIR exercise in the state. The revision, which includes scrutiny based on linkage with the 2002 voter list, has sparked controversy amid fears that eligible voters might be disenfranchised.
The Supreme Court’s directions are expected to bring procedural clarity and local-level access for those affected, as political parties and civil society groups continue to closely monitor the situation.
