West Bengal
West Bengal Begins Judicial Scrutiny of Voter List
- 28 Feb 2026
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Judicial officers have commenced the verification of voter documents flagged during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, following directives from the Supreme Court of India to ensure accuracy and integrity.
Key Points:
- Judicial Verification Launched: Serving and former district judges began vetting voter documents categorized under “logical discrepancies” as part of the voter list revision process in West Bengal.
- The Supreme Court permitted deployment of judicial officers from neighbouring states like Jharkhand and Odisha to assist in managing the large volume of claims and objections, allowing the Calcutta High Court to requisition additional judges as needed.
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR): SIR is an accelerated voter list update exercise aimed at purifying electoral rolls by resolving discrepancies, addressing claims and objections, and ensuring that only eligible individuals are included before the final roll’s publication.
- Reports indicate that millions of voter entries—especially those under “logical discrepancy” due to mismatches in age, parental data or missing documentation require adjudication by the judicial pool before the final list is published.
- Challenges: Courts across the state have largely prioritised SIR verification work while the apex court instructed Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to hand over pending documents for adjudication.
- The process has triggered controversy, with political leaders raising concerns about potential removal of genuine voters if discrepancies are not resolved fairly and transparently.
- Significance: The judicial scrutiny of voter documents in West Bengal is a landmark step to uphold electoral roll accuracy and safeguard democratic rights.
| Read More: Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Supreme Court, High Court |
