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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain pleas seeking its intervention over allegations that certain officials deputed for election duty were excluded from voter rolls in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant told the petitioners to approach the appropriate appellate tribunal, observing that the court could not “change its orders every day.”“Please raise the problem before the Appellate Tribunal. We can’t change our orders every day,” the CJI said during the hearing, as quoted by ANI.However, during the proceedings, Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that regardless of whether they are able to vote in the current elections, the more significant issue of their continued inclusion in the electoral rolls would be examined by the court.Counsel representing the petitioners argued that even individuals engaged in election duty are entitled to vote, prompting the court’s observation that the matter should be pursued through the prescribed legal mechanism.The court also granted liberty to persons excluded from the voter roll in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal elections to approach the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court with their grievance. A bench led by CJI Surya Kant further directed Appellate Tribunals to grant out-of-turn hearings in cases of excluded persons whose appeals are pending, particularly where urgency is demonstrated. The court said, “As regards those names who have been excluded in SIR and those who have filed appeals before the Appellate Tribunal, the Tribunal may grant them out of turn hearing of appeals, especially to appellants who are able to prove urgency.”The court noted that most issues had already been addressed in its April 13 order and observed, “We can understand that issues may arise on day to day basis.”It further clarified that petitioners and stakeholders may approach the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court either administratively or judicially, depending on the nature of the grievance.
