NEW DELHI – In a stern intervention, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday issued a blistering warning to the West Bengal government, the Election Commission of India (ECI), and various petitioners, telling them “not to even dare” question the integrity of judicial officers appointed to verify electoral rolls.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant expressed deep frustration over fresh applications doubting the decisions of judicial officers who are currently overseeing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal.
“I Will Not Tolerate This”
The Chief Justice’s remarks came during a high-tension hearing regarding the deletion of names from voter lists. Responding to claims that undermined the court-appointed officers, Justice Kant lambasted the litigants for their lack of respect toward the judiciary’s efforts.
“What more sacrifice do you want from them? They are working overtime to hear the cases of deleted voters from West Bengal! I will not tolerate this!” the Chief Justice remarked.
Establishment of New Appellate Tribunals
To ensure a fair process and provide a path for those whose claims are rejected, the Supreme Court ordered the formation of independent Appellate Tribunals.
Key Features of the New Tribunals:
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Composition: Former High Court Chief Justices and former High Court Judges (preferably from the Calcutta High Court or neighboring states).
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Selection: The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court will recommend the names, which the ECI will then officially notify.
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Scope: These tribunals will serve as the sole authority for appeals against the decisions of the judicial officers.
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Funding: The Election Commission of India will bear the full expense, including honorariums for the presiding judges.
Logistical Support and Compliance
The Court further directed both the Mamata Banerjee-led government and the ECI to provide full logistical support to the officers handling the thousands of appeals. The bench clarified that the decisions made by these judicial officers are not subject to any executive or administrative review, ensuring their independence remains intact.
Addressing the issue of the supplementary voter list—which reportedly involves over 10 lakh objections—the Court granted liberty to all parties to approach the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court for further resolution.
Overview of the Voter List Oversight
| Entity | Responsibility |
| Judicial Officers | Deployed from WB, Odisha, and Jharkhand to adjudicate initial claims. |
| Appellate Tribunals | To be formed by former judges to hear appeals against exclusions. |
| Election Commission | Responsible for notification and funding of the tribunals. |
| Calcutta High Court | Chief Justice to oversee recommendations and honorarium fixing. |
