WB SIR: Supreme Court orders ECI to publish list of names with discrepancies at gram panchayat, block, ward offices

Earlier, the Election Commission, in a reply filed in the Supreme Court had defended its actions to issue notices to those electors flagged for “logical discrepancies” in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying there were 2.06 lakh electors in West Bengal who had been linked to six or more children, cases which required “greater scrutiny” to ensure that the mapping was correct.

The poll body responded to the application by the petitioner, Dola Sen, a Trinamool Congress MP, on January 4.

After hearing the counsel for ECI and petitioners, the court passed the following directions to ECI:

1) The names of persons in the logical discrepancy list may be displayed in gram panchayat bhavan and block office of every Taluka and as well as ward office.

2) Persons likely to be affected be permitted to submit their documents/objections through their authorised representatives.

3) Such authorised representatives can be a BLA.

4) There shall be an authority letter in favour of the authorised representative whether signed or thumb mark.

5) The Election Commission of India shall issue instructions for providing additional documents/objections even if the date is expired.

6) State government shall provide adequate manpower to election commission of India and state election commission for their deployment at the Panchayat bhavan/block offices to entertain objections/documents and afford hearing to persons likely to be affected.

7) In this regard we direct every collector of the district to meticulously comply with the directions issued by ECI/state government for deployment of staff for smooth functioning.

8) The DGP of the West Bengal shall be obligated to ensure that there is no law and order problem and entire activity is completed smoothly.

9) All the persons who have not submitted their documents/ objections so far may do so within the extended period.

10) It goes without saying that wherever the documents submitted by person are not found to be satisfactory such persons shall be afforded hearing in accordance with the process already contemplated by the ECI.

Bench: State is directed to ensure adequate manpower to the state election commission and ECI for deployment at panchayat bhawan and block offices to accord hearing. We direct every collector of the district to meticulously follow such order. State shall ensure there shall be proper law and order arrangements.

Let objections be filed within 10 days of displaying the list. Let the documents etc be submitted in the extended period.

It goes without saying that wherever the document submitted by documents are not satisfactory such person shall be provided opportunity of hearing. All the affected persons in addition to opportunity of hearing may also be heard at that very time in person or through authorised representative.

Bench: We have briefly heard counsels. What appears is that there are about 1.25 crore persons to whom notices have been issued for the verification of documents. These notices are categorised are broadly into 3 — mapped (those who are linked with the previous SIR 2002); unmapped 3rd is the logical discrepancy. comprising max voter of 1.36 crore. The docs brought on record by parties indicate that in the particular inter alia include, where there is mismatch of father’s name; parents age difference, etc.

Sibal: There are 1 crore people which are being profiled like this. Why is it necessary to do it in midst of election?

Divan: What is the sanctity of an electoral role got to do with the number of progeny? I just asked myself that question.

Senior advocate Sham Divan claims the issues related issuing instructions with respect to SIR on WhatsApp.

Divan: The second problem is they are issuing these instructions on WhatsApp There is no transparency at all because we nobody knows about it unless someone shows it to us.

Bench: We have said last time. There's no question of running everything on WhatsApp.

Sibal: List, mapped or unmapped, must be provided and then we’ll have individuals appoint BLAs. As long as they give us the opportunity with the schedule of hearing.

Sibal: We will come prepared.

Dwivedi: We will come means TMC will come. Don’t make it political.

Sibal: You have made it political.

Bench: What about displaying the list of these persons?

Dwivedi: It will be done.

Sibal asks what is the logical discrepancy? says let them publish the list of booth-wise logical discrepancies with the hearing schedule.

Sibal: We got reply late last night

On January 12, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi had issued notice to the Election Commission of India.

"Issue notice, returnable on 19.01.2026. Mr. Eklavya Dwivedi, AOR accepts notice on behalf of respondent no.1 – Election Commission of India," the order read.

O’Brien’s application before the Supreme Court had contended that ECI was issuing instructions to booth level officers (BLOs) and others through informal channels, such as WhatsApp. It was submitted that this made it impossible to establish an audit trail.

Last week, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi sought ECI's response while giving it a week’s time to respond to the applications by TMC MPs Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen.

Though the Commission had sought two weeks’ time to respond, Sibal had opposed this, saying January 15 is the last date for filing claims and objections.