NEW DELHI (Feb 20, 2026) — Terming the ongoing friction between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission (EC) as an “unfortunate blame game,” the Supreme Court has ordered the Calcutta High Court to appoint judicial officers to oversee the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
The “Extraordinary” Order
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant noted a significant “trust deficit” between the state and the poll body, stating the court was left with “no option” but to intervene.
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Judicial Oversight: The Calcutta HC will appoint serving and former district-level judges to adjudicate claims and objections regarding the voter list.
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High-Level Meeting: The State Election Commissioner, Chief Secretary, and DGP are directed to meet the Calcutta HC Chief Justice tomorrow to finalize the deployment.
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The Conflict: The EC argued that the state failed to provide competent Group A officers to act as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), while the state claimed sufficient Group B staff were deployed.
Court’s Sharp Remarks
The bench expressed deep disappointment over the state’s delay and lack of cooperation.
“How can incompetent officials decide the fate of the people? We are not micro-observers… We expected cooperation, not private explanations.” — CJI Surya Kant
Political Context
The ruling comes amid high-voltage tensions:
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Mamata Banerjee’s Allegations: The Chief Minister has accused the EC of acting as a “BJP agent” and using the SIR exercise to disenfranchise genuine voters.
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EC Defense: The commission maintains the exercise is a routine “clean-up” drive to ensure poll integrity, supported by the BJP which alleges the misuse of donations for “anti-national activities.”
