West Bengal Electoral Roll Revision: Supreme Court Seeks EC Reply on MPs’ Plea

West Bengal electoral roll revision came under Supreme Court scrutiny on Monday as the court sought a response from the Election Commission of India on petitions filed by Members of Parliament.The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Election Commission of India on petitions filed by Members of Parliament Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen. The MPs challenged the steps taken during the electoral roll revision process in West Bengal. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard arguments related to the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Derek O’Brien, argued that authorities circulated instructions informally through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp. He stated that Booth Level Officers acted solely on these messages without receiving any official written directions from the competent authorities. Sibal also questioned the introduction of a new category called “logical discrepancies,” which, according to him, affects millions of registered voters across the country.

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West Bengal Electoral Roll Revision Challenged in Supreme Court

Sibal further submitted that authorities may issue notices to such voters for quasi-judicial hearings to examine their eligibility based on alleged data anomalies or errors. He described the procedures followed in West Bengal as unusual and confusing and criticised officials for relying on unofficial communications. He also referred to affidavits showing that authorities flagged more than one crore voters under the discrepancies category, raising serious concerns about transparency, fairness, and accountability.

Counsel representing the Election Commission requested additional time to prepare and file a detailed counter affidavit in response to the petitions. After considering the request, the bench granted the Commission one week instead of the two weeks originally sought. Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the Commission to file a common reply covering the petitions submitted by both MPs to ensure clarity and consistency.

The court scheduled the matter for further hearing next Monday, when the bench will examine the responses and hear detailed arguments. The case has gained significance amid ongoing debates over electoral roll revisions and institutional accountability in India’s democratic process.

The dispute over the West Bengal electoral roll revision has intensified amid concerns over transparency, procedural clarity, and voter inclusion.

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