The Supreme Court today directed the Election Commission to display the names of voters categorised under the logical discrepancies list during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The apex court was hearing pleas alleging arbitrariness and procedural irregularities in the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal.

 

Noting that one crore twenty-five lakh voters in the state figured on the logical discrepancies list, a three-Judge bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi said those likely to be affected by the SIR drive should be allowed to submit their documents or objections.

 

The bench observed that the SIR process in West Bengal should be transparent and not cause inconvenience. The top court also directed the poll panel to display the names of those on the logical discrepancies list at gram panchayat bhavans and block offices, where documents and objections will also be submitted.

 

The court also directed that the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal shall be obligated to ensure that there is no law-and-order problem and that all the activities shall be completed smoothly. Logical discrepancies in progeny linking with the 2002 voter list include instances of a mismatch in the parent’s name and the age difference between a voter and their parent being less than 15 years or more than 50 years.