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Supreme Court refuses interim relief to affected voters (Img: Internet)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has refused to grant interim voting rights to individuals whose names were removed from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, dealing a setback to petitioners ahead of the upcoming state elections.
During the hearing, the bench made it clear that allowing such voters to cast ballots while their appeals are pending is not feasible. The court underlined that granting interim relief could disrupt the verification process and overwhelm appellate tribunals already handling a massive number of cases. It cautioned against taking steps that may compromise procedural integrity.
Senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing the petitioners, informed the court that over 3.4 million appeals have been filed against the deletion of names from voter lists. He argued that a large number of those affected are genuine voters and should not be denied their democratic right. Banerjee also suggested creating a supplementary voter list to allow them to participate in the elections.
While acknowledging the importance of voting rights, the bench stressed that due process must be followed. The judges pointed out that rushing decisions in such a large-scale exercise could lead to errors. They highlighted the risk of overburdening tribunals, which are already dealing with thousands of cases daily.
The court indicated that it would attempt to strike a balance between protecting individual voting rights and ensuring the credibility of the electoral process. However, it made it clear that last-minute interventions cannot override established procedures.
The bench also made significant observations on the importance of voting rights, describing them as both constitutional and emotional. It noted that the right to remain on electoral rolls is fundamental and must be protected, but not at the cost of due verification.
Judges expressed concern over the scale of document scrutiny involved in the revision process. Handling large volumes of cases daily, they said, increases the likelihood of errors, reinforcing the need for a robust appellate mechanism.
The decision comes just days before West Bengal heads to polls in two phases on April 23 and 29. While the court has not ruled out relief through proper channels, it has firmly stated that electoral procedures cannot be bypassed under pressure of timelines.
