Jolt to ECI over SIR! SC allows BLAs at hearing, questions 'logical discrepancy'; TMC declares 'BJP's game over'

The apex court on Monday directed the poll panel to conduct verification of voters flagged under the “logical discrepancies” category in a transparent and citizen-friendly manner.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi ordered the Election Commission to publish the list of voters who had received notices under this category.

The court noted that nearly 1.25 crore people had been served such notices, a move that had drawn sharp criticism from the TMC, which alleged that the SIR exercise was being used to disenfranchise genuine voters in the poll-bound state.

In relief for the affected voters, the bench ruled that those who received notices would be allowed to submit documents or objections through authorised agents, including Booth Level Agents (BLAs).

The court also directed that verification centres be set up at Panchayat Bhavans or Block offices so that people are not forced to travel long distances for hearings. If documents were found inadequate, officials must provide another opportunity for hearing, and receipts of submissions must be duly certified.

Addressing law-and-order concerns, the bench asked the state government to provide adequate manpower to the Election Commission and held the Director General of Police responsible for maintaining peace during the process.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for TMC petitioners, argued that even voters whose names were already part of the draft electoral roll had been issued notices on flimsy grounds such as variations in surname spellings or age gaps with parents of less than 15 years.

Justice Bagchi questioned the logic behind treating such cases as discrepancies, remarking that a 15-year age gap between mother and child could not automatically be deemed irregular, particularly in a country where child marriage remained a reality.

Reacting to the order, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee described the verdict as a decisive setback for the BJP. He alleged that nearly one crore names had been targeted for deletion and that the court had protected the democratic rights of Bengal’s people.

“The BJP’s SIR game is over. Our voting rights were being threatened, but the Supreme Court has given them a firm rebuke,” Banerjee said, adding that the courtroom defeat would soon be mirrored in the ballot box.

In a fiery statement invoking Bengal’s historical legacy, he asserted that the state had never bowed before outsiders and would resist any attempt to undermine its democratic voice.