Publish Names Flagged For Discrepancies: Supreme Court to EC on West Bengal SIR
Supreme Court directs ECI to accept Class 10 admit cards and ensure transparency in West Bengal SIR.
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The Supreme Court of India has issued a series of directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
The Court mandated that the ECI must accept the Class 10 admit card issued by the State Board as valid documentation for voter enumeration. Additionally, the Court ordered the publication of names with logical discrepancies at gram panchayat, block, and ward offices, and required that affected individuals be allowed to submit objections through authorised representatives.
According to Live Law, the Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, clarified that the Class 10 admit card, which contains the date of birth, must be accepted for enumeration purposes. The bench questioned the ECI’s refusal to accept the admit card, noting that the result card does not include the date of birth, and insisted that the admit card’s presumption of validity should be honoured.
As reported by The Indian Express, the Court directed the ECI to display the list of names with logical discrepancies at all gram panchayat bhavans, block offices, and ward offices. Affected persons are permitted to submit documents or objections through authorised representatives, including Booth Level Agents (BLAs), provided there is a signed or thumb-marked authority letter. The ECI must also issue instructions to accept additional documents or objections even after the deadline has expired.
As highlighted by The Hindu, the Supreme Court extended the objections phase by 10 days following the publication of the list. The Court instructed that offices for submitting documents or objections be set up in panchayat and block offices, and mandated that receipts be provided for all submissions. The State Government was directed to ensure adequate manpower and law and order arrangements for the process.
Further details indicate that the Court noted 1.25 crore voters in West Bengal are listed under logical discrepancies, which include mismatches in parent names and age differences between voters and their parents. The Court emphasised that the process should not cause undue stress or inconvenience to the affected individuals.
“The criteria is not meant for exclusion but rectification of errors in the roll,” Chief Justice Surya Kant stated during the hearing.
Coverage revealed that the Court also required local authorities to provide receipts for documents received and to state reasons for their final decisions on objections. The Court objected to the ECI issuing directions via informal channels such as WhatsApp, insisting that official circulars must be used for all instructions.
In addition, analysis showed that the Supreme Court allowed affected persons to be represented by authorised agents, including BLAs, and required that hearings be accessible at local offices to avoid unnecessary travel. The Court also directed the Director General of Police to ensure that no law and order issues arise during the process.
At the end of the hearing, as details emerged, the Court reiterated that both the Class 10 admit card and the result card must be accepted for enumeration, and that the process should be transparent and fair to all affected individuals.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.