Supreme Court Directs West Bengal Election Duty Officers to Appeal Deletion from Voter Rolls

The Supreme Court of India addressed a critical issue on Friday regarding the deletion of names from the electoral rolls in West Bengal, notably affecting 65 election duty officers. This revelation was brought forth during a hearing where the officers’ counsel, Senior Advocate MR Shamshad, argued that their Electors’ Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers had been removed from the rolls, rendering them unable to participate in the upcoming elections. Shamshad characterized this action as ‘arbitrary’ and lacking justification.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, acknowledged the concerns raised by the petitioners but advised them to seek recourse through an appellate tribunal. The court noted that while these officers may not be able to vote in the current election, their fundamental right to remain on the electoral rolls should be safeguarded.

Additionally, the Supreme Court indicated that the appellate tribunals would prioritize urgent cases, allowing individuals whose names have been deleted to receive out-of-turn hearings. The bench further suggested that if the situation demands judicial intervention, those affected could approach the High Court for relief.

This decision follows alarming statistics presented during the hearing, which revealed that among 27 lakh pending appeals before the appellate tribunal, only 136 voters had their names reinstated before the electoral cut-off date. This highlights the challenges many voters face in ensuring their eligibility, especially in a politically charged environment like West Bengal.

The Supreme Court’s directive aims to address these urgent concerns while also emphasizing the importance of a fair electoral process. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the appellate tribunals will handle these cases and what implications this will have for the upcoming elections in West Bengal.

Source: scroll.in