The Supreme Court granted relief to more than one crore voters in West Bengal whose names were excluded from the draft Special Intensive Review (SIR) electoral rolls.
The court allowed them 10 days to submit documents to verify their voter details.
A three‑judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the Election Commission (EC) to publish the names of those excluded under the “logical discrepancy” category and provide time for them to present supporting documents. The bench said the decision considered ground realities, especially the difficulties faced by rural and uneducated voters.
EC Flags Massive Data Anomalies
The directive came during petitions filed by Trinamool Congress MPs Dola Sen and Derek O’Brien, who alleged large‑scale irregularities in the SIR process. Petitioners highlighted that notices had been issued to over one crore voters due to discrepancies in their records.
According to the EC, anomalies included unusual age gaps between voters and their parents or grandparents, less than 15 years or more than 50 years. In extreme cases, records showed one individual with 234 children and seven individuals with over 100 children.
Court Stresses Access and Fairness
Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the EC, argued that a notice does not automatically mean deletion from the voter list. He said affected individuals are being given an opportunity to explain discrepancies by submitting valid documents.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Trinamool leaders, urged the court to consider the challenges faced by rural voters who may struggle to travel long distances. The bench agreed and ordered the EC to display excluded names at panchayat offices, tehsil offices, and ward offices. Voters can submit documents either in person or through authorised representatives, with facilities available at local offices.
