More than 37 lakh appeals related to West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls are still pending before state tribunals, according to figures submitted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the Supreme Court. The large number of pending cases has raised concerns as the state prepares for upcoming municipal elections.
According to the ECI’s affidavit, around 38.2 lakh appeals were filed across all 24 districts during the SIR process. These cases involve objections and requests related to the inclusion or exclusion of names from the voter list. So far, only about 1.02 lakh cases have been decided, leaving more than 37 lakh appeals still pending.
The issue has come before the Supreme Court after petitioners, including the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, raised concerns about the functioning and transparency of the tribunals. They have sought greater clarity on how the cases are being handled and how quickly decisions are being made.
The appeals include cases filed by voters who say their names were removed from the electoral rolls and want to be included again. According to the figures cited by the petitioners, around seven lakh appeals were filed by such voters. The remaining cases were filed by the Election Commission or other objectors seeking the removal of names from the voter list.
The figures also show differences in the disposal of cases between districts. In Malda, for example, only around 1,514 appeals had been decided out of more than five lakh cases filed. The district-wise figures have highlighted the scale of the backlog and the challenge faced by the tribunals.
The Election Commission has argued that the tribunals are functioning according to existing Standard Operating Procedures. It has also maintained that the courts should not interfere with the day-to-day functioning of the tribunal process.
The Supreme Court, however, has sought more detailed information about the pending appeals. The court has asked the Election Commission to provide statistics showing the number of cases still pending and whether they involve requests for inclusion or objections seeking exclusion from the voter list.
The court has also stressed the need to give priority to appeals filed by people who claim that they have been left out of the electoral rolls. This is particularly important because voters whose names are not on the final electoral roll could face difficulties in exercising their voting rights.
The large backlog has become a significant concern ahead of the municipal elections in West Bengal. Many voters are waiting for decisions on their appeals, while election authorities and tribunals face the task of processing a very large number of cases.
The Supreme Court’s proceedings are therefore focusing on transparency, timely disposal of appeals and the protection of eligible voters’ rights. The outcome of these proceedings could have an impact on how the remaining SIR-related appeals are handled before the upcoming local elections.