Former HC Judge questions SIR process after Voter List exclusion, says 'Appellate Tribunals exist only on paper'

In a development that has brought the spotlight back on the integrity of electoral verification processes, a former judge of the Calcutta High Court has questioned the manner in which his name was excluded from West Bengal’s revised voter list despite multiple rounds of document submission and verification. The episode raises troubling concerns about procedural opacity and the absence of a clear appellate pathway under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), placing issues of fairness and effective remedy at the forefront.

The controversy arose during the Election Commission’s SIR exercise, where the former judge and his family submitted documents for verification after their names did not appear in the draft electoral roll. Despite undergoing a second round of verification before election officials, the supplementary list reflected inconsistent outcomes, while his family members were placed under adjudication, his own name was marked as “not found.” The absence of reasons for such classification, coupled with the lack of acknowledgement receipts for submitted documents, became central to the grievance. The situation was further compounded by the large-scale deletion of names in the revision process, with a significant number of cases being referred for adjudication by judicial officers.

The former judge pointed to the absence of functional clarity in the appellate framework, stating that “the appellate tribunals… are only on paper. There are no guidelines as to how those tribunals can function and what they can do. I do not know whom to approach.” He emphasised that without reasons for deletion or proper documentation, even the right to appeal becomes illusory. Stressing equality before the law, he noted that he deliberately avoided relying on his former judicial status, seeking to be treated like any ordinary citizen. The developments unfold against the backdrop of the Supreme Court of India directing that an adequate opportunity be provided during the SIR process.

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