New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has directed the formation of a special judicial tribunal to hear appeals related to the Special Intensive Revision of the voter list in West Bengal. The decision was taken by the court using its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, which allows it to issue orders necessary for complete justice in a matter.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi passed the order while reviewing matters related to the revision of the voter list in West Bengal. The tribunal will consist of a retired Chief Justice along with former judges from the Calcutta High Court and neighboring High Courts.
The tribunal will examine appeals against orders issued by judicial officers who were appointed to verify voter documents during the Special Intensive Revision process. The verification process involves examining documents submitted by voters whose records were identified under categories described as logical discrepancy or unmapped entries.
The Supreme Court clarified that no administrative official acting as an Electoral Registration Officer will be allowed to hear appeals against decisions taken by judicial officers. The court stated that the appellate process must remain within the judicial system in order to ensure fairness and independence.
The court also directed the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to nominate the retired Chief Justice and former judges who will serve on the tribunal. After the nominations are made the Election Commission of India has been instructed to officially notify the tribunal in consultation with the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice and the retired Chief Justice who will head the body.
During the hearing the bench expressed concern over several applications filed by supporters of the Trinamool Congress and other private individuals regarding the Special Intensive Revision process. The Supreme Court dismissed these applications and warned that similar attempts to interfere with the process in the future could lead to contempt of court proceedings.
The bench also raised concerns about delays in the creation of secure identification systems for judicial officers involved in the verification process. The court said that the Election Commission must ensure that these identification credentials are created without further delay so that the officers can continue their work smoothly.
While addressing the issue the Chief Justice informed the court that the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court had reported significant progress in handling voter verification cases. According to the information provided more than 500 judicial officers from West Bengal and around 200 officers from Jharkhand and Odisha have been working continuously to examine claims related to the voter list.
These officers have reportedly been working seven days a week and have already disposed of more than ten lakh applications submitted by voters seeking inclusion in the electoral list.
The Special Intensive Revision process aims to review and verify voter records to ensure accuracy and remove discrepancies. The Supreme Court decision to establish a judicial tribunal is expected to provide a structured mechanism for addressing appeals and maintaining transparency in the verification process.
The court emphasized the importance of completing the process efficiently while ensuring that voter rights are protected and that the system operates with fairness and accountability.
