West Bengal SIR: Supreme Court Seeks ECI Data on Pending Voter Appeals
New Delhi, August 25, 2026: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to submit detailed data on appeals pending before appellate tribunals following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, asked the ECI to provide a complete breakup of appeals relating to the exclusion and inclusion of voters from the electoral rolls. The Court also sought details of appeals already disposed of and the relief granted in those cases.
Court seeks details on pending appeals
The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to explain how many appeals are currently pending, how many have been decided and how many were allowed. The ECI has also been asked to explain what steps are being taken to streamline the disposal process and whether additional appellate tribunals are required.
During the hearing, the Court was informed that a large number of appeals concern objections to the inclusion of voters, while a smaller but significant number have been filed by people whose names were removed from the electoral rolls.
According to information placed before the Court, around 38.1 lakh appeals have been filed, while approximately 83,000 appeals concerning exclusions had been decided, with more than 75,000 resulting in voters being included back in the electoral rolls.
SC stresses voters’ right to appeal
The Court emphasised that people excluded from the electoral rolls must have their appeals decided within a reasonable and timely period, since exclusion can directly affect their right to participate in elections. Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the Court’s concern was ensuring the expeditious disposal of all pending appeals.
The bench also indicated that, depending on the data supplied by the ECI, it could consider whether appeals filed by excluded voters should receive priority.
All appeals should be settled before 2029 Lok Sabha polls
Importantly, the Supreme Court made it clear that the SIR process and the pending appeals should be brought to a conclusion before the next parliamentary elections in 2029.
The Court also asked the ECI to suggest measures to improve the functioning of the appellate tribunals and determine whether additional tribunals would be necessary to clear the backlog.
The matter remains significant as the Supreme Court continues to monitor the handling of electoral-roll appeals arising from the West Bengal SIR exercise.