West Bengal SIR: Supreme Court demands data on appeals as municipal polls close in
The Supreme Court of India has ordered the Election Commission to provide detailed data on appeals regarding electoral roll revisions in West Bengal ahead of municipal elections. The court is investigating concerns that a large number of appeals were filed to exclude voters rather than include them.
Why it matters
This case addresses critical concerns regarding voter disenfranchisement and the integrity of the electoral roll process in a major Indian state.
Five months after constituting 19 appellate tribunals to hear appeals arising from the special intensive revision (SIR) in West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) found that public information regarding these proceedings remains sparse or speculative, even as upcoming municipal elections draw near in the State.
A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to file an affidavit segregating the exact number of appeals seeking inclusion in the West Bengal electoral rolls and those wanting more voters to be excluded from the rolls.
The court sought the precise number of appeals pending in the tribunals and those decided by them. The court said it would take a call on the need to constitute more tribunals after getting the statistics right.
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