KOLKATA: A high-level meeting convened Saturday at the Calcutta High Court to implement judicial oversight for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The meeting followed a Supreme Court directive ordering the process be supervised by judicial officers and former judges.
Judicial Oversight Mandated
The Supreme Court mandated judicial supervision for the remaining SIR stages. This decision came after concerns about the West Bengal government’s allocation of Grade ‘A’ officers for the revision exercise.
Chief Justice Sujoy Paul of the Calcutta High Court presided over the meeting. He was tasked with finalizing the deployment of judicial officers. The goal is to establish a clear framework for this judicial oversight.
Meeting Participants and Objectives
Key officials attended the Saturday meeting. These included Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal. They aimed to discuss the process and resolve existing complexities.
The Chief Electoral Officer stated the meeting would allow all stakeholders to share their perspectives. This aims to clarify the path forward and receive specific directions.
Background of the Controversy
The Supreme Court’s intervention followed a dispute between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission. The Court issued an “extraordinary” order to deploy serving and former district judges. This is to assist the Election Commission in the SIR process, which has faced controversy.
The apex court specifically requested the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to allocate judicial officers. The court also asked for former judges to aid in the SIR work.