New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ordered the deployment of judicial officers, including the retired judges, for smooth conduct of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

The extraordinary order was passed by the Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipin Pancholi on Monday. The court made the ruling stating that there was a clear lack of cooperation https://timelinedaily.com/kerala/kerala-moves-supreme-court-to-defer-sir-until-after-local-body-pollsbetween the State government and the Election Commission of India (ECI).

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The court said that there is an unfortunate blame game of allegations and counter allegations which shows trust deficit between two constitutional functionaries – that is the State government and the Election Commission of India.

“Now the process is stuck at the stage of claims and objections of the persons who have been included in the logical discrepancy list. Most of the persons to whom notices were issued have submitted their documents in support of their claim for inclusion in the voter list. These claims are required to be adjudicated in a quasi-judicial process by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs),” the Bench stated.

The court went on to say that it was left with no other option than involve the State judiciary, including the retired judicial officers, for conclusion of the SIR.

We are left with hardly any other option but to request Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court to spare some serving judicial officers along with some former judicial officers in the rank of Additional District Judge or District Judges who can then in each district aid in disposal or revisiting of the claims under the logical discrepancy list to ensure fairness in adjudication of genuineness of documents submitted and consequent inclusion or exclusion in voter list, the Bench said.