West Bengal SIR Appeals Pending as Municipal Polls Near

West Bengal SIR appeals pending before appellate tribunals have crossed 37 lakh, according to figures submitted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the Supreme Court. The development comes as municipal elections in the state draw closer, putting the spotlight on the disposal of appeals related to changes in the electoral rolls.

In an affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court, the Election Commission said 38,20,683 appeals had been filed against orders connected with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. Of these, 1,02,231 appeals had been disposed of, leaving 37,18,452 cases pending.

West Bengal SIR Appeals Pending Before Tribunals

The latest figures provide an updated picture of the workload before the appellate tribunals established to deal with challenges arising from the SIR exercise.

The Election Commission's data cover appeals concerning both the inclusion and exclusion of names in the electoral rolls. However, the latest affidavit does not provide a separate break-up showing how many appeals were filed by voters seeking restoration of their names and how many challenged the inclusion of other names.

The issue is being examined by the Supreme Court, which has sought greater clarity on the pendency and disposal of these cases.

Over 38 Lakh Appeals Filed

According to the ECI, a total of 38,20,683 appeals were filed in connection with orders relating to the SIR exercise.

Of these:
Total appeals filed: 38,20,683
Appeals disposed of: 1,02,231
Appeals pending: 37,18,452

The figures mean that the overwhelming majority of the appeals remained pending as of the latest data submitted by the poll panel.

Supreme Court Seeks Time-Bound Disposal

The issue of pending SIR appeals has come before the Supreme Court as part of proceedings concerning the electoral-roll revision in West Bengal.

The court had earlier directed the Election Commission to provide information about the number of appeals pending before the tribunals and the cases already disposed of. It also asked the poll panel to explain the steps being taken to streamline the disposal process and whether additional tribunals were required.

The court has stressed the need for the appeals to be dealt with in a time-bound manner.

Appeals Relating to Inclusion and Exclusion
The appeals arise from decisions connected with the inclusion or exclusion of names from the electoral rolls following the SIR process.

The distinction is significant because an appeal filed by an elector seeking restoration of their name is different in nature from an objection seeking exclusion of another person's name.

The Supreme Court has sought a clearer break-up of the two categories before considering further steps concerning the tribunal mechanism.

Municipal Polls Add to the Significance

The large number of pending appeals has attracted attention as West Bengal's municipal elections approach.