The Supreme Court has instructed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publicly disclose the names of nearly 1.25 crore voters in West Bengal who have been marked for discrepancies during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral rolls.
The direction was issued while the Court was examining concerns raised over the large number of voters served notices under the revision exercise. According to the ECI, voters have been categorised as mapped, unmapped, or having logical discrepancies, with the last category accounting for the highest number due to inconsistencies detected in voter details.
The Court noted that voters were flagged for reasons such as mismatched parental details, unrealistic age differences within families, or other data irregularities. To ensure transparency and allow affected individuals to respond, the bench ordered that the list of voters falling under the logical discrepancy category be displayed prominently at local administrative offices, including gram panchayats, block offices, and municipal wards.
Emphasising the need for procedural fairness, the Supreme Court directed that voters whose names appear on the list must be given a reasonable opportunity to submit objections or supporting documents. It also clarified that hearings should be conducted either personally or through authorised representatives, and sufficient time must be granted so that eligible voters are not wrongfully excluded from the electoral rolls.
The Court further stressed the importance of adequate administrative support for the Election Commission during the exercise and instructed state authorities to assist in maintaining order throughout the process. It cautioned against relying on informal communication methods for official instructions and underlined that all directions should be issued through proper written orders.
The ruling forms part of the Court’s ongoing oversight of the SIR process in West Bengal, amid concerns that errors in voter verification could impact a significant section of the electorate ahead of elections.
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