The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a plea challenging the deletion of names from the voter list during the Special Intensive Revision exercise in West Bengal, terming it premature. A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the petitioners to approach the designated appellate tribunals set up to hear such grievances.

 

The court noted that nearly 30 to 34 lakh appeals are pending, with each tribunal handling over one lakh cases. It emphasised that due process must be followed and said judicial intervention at this stage could disrupt the electoral process. The bench observed that the right to vote is both constitutional and vital to democratic participation, but added that elections cannot be halted unless large-scale exclusion of voters materially affects the process.

 

Meanwhile, 19 tribunals constituted under the supervision of the Calcutta High Court have begun hearing appeals. Polling in the state will be held in two phases on 23rd and 29th April, with counting scheduled on the 4th of May.