SIR in West Bengal: Will call for report from chief justice of HC today, says SC

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would call for a report from the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court today itself after it was alleged that the appellate tribunals constituted for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal were "not functioning".

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi.

"This is the West Bengal SIR matter.Your lordships have listed the matter for April 24. The appellate tribunals are not functioning. Lawyers are not being allowed. They are only taking internet and computer-based applications," Kamat said.

The CJI expressed displeasure that almost everyday, the matters related to SIR in West Bengal were being mentioned before it.

Kamat, however, argued that orders passed by the apex court in the matter were not being followed.

"We will get a report from the chief justice (of the high court) today itself," the CJI observed.

Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, and votes will be counted on May 4.

While hearing the West Bengal SIR matter last week, the apex court had directed the Election Commission to issue a supplementary revised electoral roll to include voters whose appeals against the deletion of their names are allowed by the appellate tribunals.

The top court had said the mere pendency of appeals preferred by excluded persons before the appellate tribunals shall not entitle them to exercise their right to vote.