The Supreme Court of India on Thursday heard a matter related to the West Bengal Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, during which it took note of the high voter turnout recorded in the first phase of Assembly elections.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi was informed that over 92% polling had been recorded a day earlier. The bench expressed satisfaction over the figure, with the Chief Justice remarking that, as a citizen, he was pleased to see people voting in large numbers, calling it vital for strengthening democracy.
Court Exchange Over Voter List Concerns
During the hearing, Trinamool Congress counsel Kalyan Banerjee argued that fears of names being deleted from voter lists had led to a surge in participation, with many migrant workers returning home to cast their votes.
Responding to the submission, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged restraint, saying, “Banerjee sahib, please do not politicise the matter today.”
Justice Bagchi observed that incidents of violence remained limited during polling. The Solicitor General added that the presence of security forces helped build voter confidence, contributing significantly to the strong turnout.
Court’s Earlier Directions On Voting Rights
The court also referred to its earlier directions, stating that individuals whose appeals were accepted by appellate tribunals before April 21 or 27 must be allowed to vote in the respective phases. However, it clarified that merely having a pending appeal does not automatically grant voting rights, Live Law reported.
According to submissions, around 34 lakh appeals remain pending before tribunals. Of these, 138 appeals were decided, allowing 136 voters to participate in the first phase.
The first phase of voting in West Bengal was held on Thursday, with the second phase scheduled for April 29, as the high-stakes electoral process continues in the state.
