The Supreme Court of India has made an oral observation indicating that a 75-year-old advocate from Murshidabad, who was omitted from the final voter list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, is likely entitled to be reinstated. This opinion was expressed by a Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana during a hearing of the lawyer’s petition challenging his exclusion.
Despite having practiced law for nearly five decades, the lawyer’s appeal for reinstatement remains undecided by the appellate tribunal. The Supreme Court has urged the tribunal to expedite their decision, acknowledging concerns over delays in appeal resolutions. “We have a prima facie view that he should be included in the SIR. However, we must adhere to the established mechanism. The Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court has suggested extending the timeline for appeals due to a backlog,” noted the Court.
In its directive, the Supreme Court acknowledged the lawyer’s longstanding practice since 1977 and instructed the appellate tribunal to resolve the appeal within a two-month timeframe. This directive comes amid widespread concerns about voter roll omissions during the West Bengal SIR and the slow pace of appeal processes.
Official data presented to the Court revealed that over 58 lakh electors were omitted during the enumeration stage of the SIR. By January 2026, approximately 9.64 lakh applications for inclusion and 99,118 requests for deletion were submitted. However, the final electoral rolls released on February 28, 2026, showed only about 1.82 lakh additions, highlighting discrepancies between the applications submitted and names restored.
The absence of detailed, constituency-specific data on these changes, as well as the lack of publicly accessible guidelines for filing and adjudicating appeals before SIR tribunals, has further exacerbated the issue. With a significant number of voters relying on the appellate process to regain their voting status, the current backlog in cases poses a substantial challenge.
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The Supreme Court’s stance underscores the importance of ensuring a fair and timely resolution of appeals, as the integrity of the electoral process is paramount. The case continues to draw attention amid broader discussions on electoral fairness and administrative efficiency in the region.
