A new Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court to enhance transparency and procedural safeguards in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The petition, brought by Congress leader Prasenjit Bose, aims to ensure disclosure of constituency-wise data on Forms 6 and 7, release of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for appellate tribunals, and provision of simplified guidelines in multiple languages for voters challenging exclusions.
The plea highlights that during the SIR enumeration phase in West Bengal, more than 58 lakh electors were excluded, with over 9.64 lakh applications for inclusion and 99,118 for deletion received during the claims and objections period. However, only 1.82 lakh additions were reflected in the final electoral roll published on February 28, 2026, raising concerns about transparency and accountability in the revision process.
The petition questions the adjudication process for cases flagged with “logical discrepancies,” citing issues like parent-child age gaps and name mismatches not covered under SIR notifications or the Representation of the People Act, 1950. It also demands the disclosure of the SOP formulated by a committee of former judges for the functioning of appellate tribunals in West Bengal.
The plea argues that the lack of publicly available procedures has created uncertainty for affected electors, especially those from poor, rural, and marginalized backgrounds. It emphasizes the need for clear guidelines and legal assistance to ensure that voters can effectively pursue appeals and protect their rights in the electoral process.
