The Supreme Court has issued a strong admonition against any attempts to question the integrity of judicial officers who are managing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

During a hearing on the ongoing revision, the bench, led by Chief Justice Suryakant alongside Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi, expressed dissatisfaction with an application that seemed to undermine the role of these officers. Chief Justice Suryakant firmly stated, “No one should dare question the judicial officers,” addressing the counsel present during the proceedings.

Massive Scale of Voter Roll Revision

During the hearing, the court reviewed the progress of the electoral roll revision, which has already seen the processing of a substantial number of claims in a brief timeframe. A report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court indicated that over 10.6 lakh applications had been addressed in just the past two weeks.

The exercise involves more than 500 judicial officers who are supported by officials from Odisha and Jharkhand. Chief Justice Suryakant commended the dedication of the officers, noting that they have been working tirelessly, including during holidays and festivals.

Appeals Mechanism Established for Rejected Claims

Concerns about the lack of an appeals mechanism for individuals whose claims may be denied were raised in court. Recognizing the potential number of appeals, the Supreme Court mandated the appointment of retired Chief Justices and judges from the Calcutta High Court as appellate tribunals to handle such cases.

The court also stated that retired judges from Odisha and Jharkhand may be called upon if additional assistance is required. It clarified that appeals cannot be addressed by executive authorities, as previously determined.

Technical Issues Encountered by Judicial Officers

The Supreme Court discussed technical challenges faced by some judicial officers involved in the disclosure process. Although 719 login IDs were created for officers assigned to sensitive districts, access issues were noted, attributed to possible technical glitches from the Election Commission of India. Senior advocate Dama Sheshadri Naidu assured the bench that measures would be taken to promptly resolve these accessibility issues and ensure the digital portal’s functionality.

Claims and Rejections Under Review

The scale of claims being processed was also highlighted during the hearing. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy informed the bench that approximately seven lakh claims had already been resolved, with around sixty-three lakh still under evaluation and nearly fifty-seven lakh pending.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan pointed out that a significant portion of these decisions were rejections, specifically indicating that about 3.4 lakh out of the total processed were not approved. He flagged the potential burden that directing all appeals to the High Court could create.

Concerns Raised by Political Representatives

Trinamool Congress MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee expressed worries regarding the absence of an appeal process and the need for transparency concerning the rejection of claims. He questioned the lack of information provided to individuals regarding the reasons for their claims being dismissed.

Banerjee mentioned that even family members were missing from the draft electoral rolls, highlighting the need for clarity in the revision process. Justice Bagchi acknowledged the complexities of the situation, indicating that the court was already exercising its powers to facilitate an efficient revision while navigating millions of claims and objections.

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