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Supreme Court Deploys Judges to West Bengal Election Roll Revision, Sets Feb 28 Publication Deadline

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Court Invokes Article 142 to Mobilize Judicial Officers The Supreme Court, citing “extraordinary circumstances” and a trust deficit between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission, ordered the Calcutta High Court to assign serving and former judges to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, invoking its Article 142 powers. The bench also mandated a meeting of the State Election Commissioner, Chief Secretary, DGP and the Advocate General to coordinate the effort. This directive aims to resolve the stalemate in voter‑name verification [1].

Publication Schedule Fixed for Adjudicated Voter Entries All voter entries already adjudicated are to be published on 28 February, while any remaining claims will appear in a supplementary electoral roll. The Court extended the claims‑and‑objections phase by one week beyond the original 14 February deadline to accommodate the new judicial involvement. These timelines are intended to ensure transparency and completeness of the electoral roll before upcoming elections [1].

State Officials Assigned to Support SIR Process The order places the Collector/Superintendent of Police on deemed deputation to assist the judicial officers, and requires the DGP to file an affidavit detailing alleged violence at verification centres. State officials, including the Chief Secretary and Advocate General, must cooperate with the High Court judges to clear the backlog. Their participation is framed as essential to maintaining law and order during the revision [1].

Judicial Reassignment and Software Critique Highlighted Senior judges, such as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court and the Registrar General, may transfer ongoing cases to alternative courts for about a week so they can focus on SIR objections in the “logical discrepancy” category. The bench rebuked the Election Commission’s “very restrictive” software that discards natural name variations, prompting the deadline extension. This criticism underscores procedural flaws that have hampered the revision process [1].

Advocates and Chief Justice Warn of Law‑And‑Order Risks Senior advocates Kapil Sibal (representing the state) and Shyam Divan (representing the Mamata Banerjee government) argued over officer shortages and the feasibility of the Court’s order. Chief Justice Surya Kant warned that failure to complete the SIR could have “serious consequences” for public safety and governance. Their interventions reflect the high political stakes surrounding the electoral roll overhaul [1].

Sources

Timeline

June 2025 – The Election Commission of India launches the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, verifying over 7.5 crore entries, deleting about 65 lakh electors, and receiving 2,53,524 claims/objections, while asserting its constitutional authority under Article 326 to clean the rolls. [6]

Nov 4, 2025 – The SIR begins in West Bengal, with enumeration forms distributed to voters across the state as the first phase of the nationwide roll‑cleaning drive. [8]

Dec 8, 2025 – The ECI appoints five senior IAS officers as Special Roll Observers for West Bengal divisions, tasking them with overseeing the SIR; the draft rolls are slated for release on Dec 16 2025 and the final list on Feb 14 2026. [8]

Dec 9, 2025 – The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, starts oral arguments on the legality of the SIR, scheduling a follow‑up hearing for Dec 16 2025. [7]

Dec 9‑10, 2025 – The Election Commission defends the Bihar SIR, highlighting door‑to‑door verification, an expanded list of 11 acceptable documents, digitised submissions and party‑agent participation as routine roll‑revision measures. [6]

Dec 11, 2025 – The Court’s hearing continues; it will hear a petition challenging Assam’s use of a special revision on Dec 16 2025 and notes that SIR is underway in twelve states and union territories. [7]

Dec 20, 2025 – A New Delhi convention on de‑linking SIR convenes, with former judges and activists urging the removal of citizenship checks and the restoration of voters; Bharat Jodo Abhiyaan remarks that “the jury expressed deep reservations about the SIR’s manner, method, and motivation.” [5]

Dec 21, 2025 – IAS officer Aishvarya Singh, Special Roll Observer for Kerala, visits Wayanad district to assess SIR progress and engage with local election officials. [4]

Dec 22, 2025 – Singh proceeds to Kozhikode district; the enumeration phase has ended on Dec 18 2025 and draft rolls are due on Dec 23 2025. Quote: “Enumeration ended; draft rolls due Dec 23.” [4]

Dec 23, 2025 – Kerala’s draft electoral rolls are scheduled for publication, marking a key milestone in the state’s SIR timeline. [4]

Dec 31, 2025 – The Additional Chief Electoral Officer issues a letter directing West Bengal District Electoral Officers to hold public hearings, record statements on video and submit verified lists for marginalised electors; a video conference by Senior Deputy EC Gyanesh Bharti occurs the previous day. [3]

Jan 1, 2026 – West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal orders district officers to personally visit marginalised voters—including sex workers and tribal groups—and to consult booth‑level agents during SIR hearings, aiming to ensure their inclusion. [3]

Jan 5, 2026 – Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar visits Jharkhand, stating that “a clean electoral roll is the foundation of democracy” and pledging that the SIR will include every eligible voter with the support of BLOs. [2]

Feb 20, 2026 – The Supreme Court invokes Article 142 to deploy judges for West Bengal’s SIR, extends the claims‑and‑objections deadline, rebukes the EC’s restrictive software, and mandates a meeting of state officials; CJI Surya Kant warns that “failure to complete SIR would have serious consequences for law and order.” [1]

Feb 28, 2026 – All voter entries already adjudicated in West Bengal’s SIR are to be published, with any remaining claims to appear in a supplementary electoral roll. [1]

Feb 14, 2026 – The final electoral roll for West Bengal is scheduled for release, completing the state’s SIR process as previously outlined. [8]

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