The Supreme Court declined a plea by 65 West Bengal election duty officers who claimed their names were removed from electoral rolls post a Special Intensive Revision exercise. The officers, including Presiding Officers and First Polling Officers for the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, alleged their names were deleted arbitrarily, violating their voting rights under Article 326. Despite being deployed under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and entitled to vote through postal ballots, their disenfranchisement due to name deletions was highlighted.
The affected officials, facing complete disenfranchisement, were rendered ineligible for voting even through postal ballots. The Supreme Court, however, directed the petitioners to approach the Appellate Tribunals set up to address disputes arising from the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Court emphasized that the Appellate Tribunals should be the first point of recourse for such grievances, rather than the apex court exercising its writ jurisdiction directly.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had clarified that individuals excluded from revised electoral rolls could vote only if their appeals were approved by the Appellate Tribunals within specified timelines. Mere pendency of appeals would not grant voting rights, as per the Court’s directive. The Election Commission of India was instructed to implement tribunal decisions by issuing supplementary electoral rolls before the upcoming polling phases in West Bengal. This issue is part of a series of petitions related to the Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal, coinciding with the ongoing phases of polling.
