'Process can’t be unending': SC wants SIR tribunals in Bengal to work faster

Nearly 34 lakh appeals remain unresolved before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) tribunals in West Bengal, which were set up by the Supreme Court to address the deletion of voters' names. On Tuesday, the SC reviewed the tribunals' performance and urged them to expedite the process, cautioning that it cannot continue indefinitely.

CJI Surya Kant addressed a petition by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who expressed concern over the slow rate of decision-making by the tribunals, which have been criticized for leaving millions of poor people without proper recourse. The bench comprised CJI Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana, who acknowledged the need to assess the tribunals' performance based on pending appeals and disposals, and promised to provide guidance, including leveraging information technology, to expedite the process.

The tribunals were established following the SC's orders, and the bench emphasized that disposal of appeals should be prioritized to prevent the deletion of voters from missing out on welfare scheme benefits. The bench did not set a deadline for resolving the appeals, but directed the Election Commission to provide statistics on pendency and disposals by August 25, their next hearing date.