Sir in Bengal: The Supreme Court, on Monday, directed the deployment of judicial officers, including retired judges, to ensure the smooth conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipin Pancholi observed that there was a clear lack of coordination between the state government and the Election Commission of India (ECI), noting that there is a “trust deficit between two constitutional functionaries – that is the State government and the Election Commission of India,” reported. Bar and Bench.
On, Tuesday, 16 February, the EC suspended seven officials in West Bengal with immediate effect for serious misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers in connection with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in the state.
Earlier this month, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee appeared in person before the Court and flagged various issues in the SIR. She alleged that the ECI targeted the state just ahead of the assembly elections this year.
What SC said
While passing its order on Friday, the EC noted that the SIR “process is stuck at the stage of claims and objections of the persons who have been included in the logical discrepancy list.”
The Bench observed that most of the people to whom EC had issued notices, have submitted their documents in support of their claim for inclusion in the voter list.
“In order to ensure fairness in adjudication of genuineness of documents submitted and consequent inclusion or exclusion in voter list, we are left with hardly any other option but to request Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court to spare some serving judicial officers along with some former judicial officers in the rank of Additional District Judge or District Judges who can then in each district aid in disposal or revisiting of the claims under the logical discrepancy list. Each officer shall be assisted by the ECI and officials. of State government deputed to assist in the duty,” Bar and Bench quoted the SC as saying.
SIR in Bengal
The EC and the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal have been at loggerheads over the ongoing special intensive revision of the voters’ list.
In January 2026, CM Mamata Banerjee also sent multiple letters to the EC — the fifth one on 12 January — where she claimed there have been AI-driven digitization errors during the SIR of electoral rolls, alleging they undermine democracy.
On Friday, Election Commission officials met West Bengal chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty. The poll panel set a fresh deadline to implement its orders, including the filing of FIRs against officials alleged to have erred during the SIR exercise.
“The chief secretary has been given time for compliance with EC orders till 5.30 PM on 17 February,” a commission official told. The Telegraph.
