Congress Candidate from Farakka Restored as Voter in West Bengal: Tribunals Hold First Hearing Amid SIR Controversies Ahead of 2026 Assembly Polls

The Special Intensive Revision is a special drive by the Election Commission of India to update and clean the voter lists before major elections. In West Bengal, it started in October 2025 ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. The main aim is to remove names of dead persons, duplicate entries, shifted voters and those who may not be genuine Indian citizens. During this process, officials check documents like Aadhaar, ration card, birth certificate and others to verify eligibility.

In the final roll published on February 28, 2026, the total electorate came down to about 7.04 crore from 7.66 crore earlier – a drop of over 8 per cent. Around 60-63 lakh names were either deleted or kept under adjudication due to “logical discrepancies” such as mismatched photos, signatures, addresses or suspected fake documents. Judicial officers (including many from neighbouring states) examined these cases. About 40 per cent of the cases reviewed so far resulted in deletions, while many others were restored in supplementary lists.

When a voter’s name is deleted or rejected during adjudication, he or she can appeal to higher authority. Normally, appeals go to the District Election Officer, but in West Bengal the Supreme Court ordered independent appellate tribunals headed by former High Court judges to ensure fairness and avoid bias. 19 such single-member tribunals were notified. They can examine fresh documents after verifying genuineness and must have access to the reasons given by the first-level judicial officers. The Supreme Court has repeatedly said that no genuine voter should lose the right to vote permanently.

Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, the electoral roll is revised every year. In normal summary revision, claims and objections are invited. But for SIR, an intensive house-to-house verification is done. Eligible citizens must be 18 years or above on the qualifying date, ordinary residents of the constituency and Indian citizens. After draft publication, people can file claims (for inclusion) or objections (for deletion). Final roll is published after decisions by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Supplementary lists are issued later for new claims. In West Bengal, the Supreme Court monitored the process closely because of the large number of cases.

The first phase of polling is on April 23 for 152 constituencies, and the second phase on April 29. The voter list freezes on the last date of nominations (April 6 for first phase). If a candidate or voter’s name is not in the final roll, they cannot contest or vote. The Congress candidate from Farakka getting restored shows that the system can correct mistakes, but delays in setting up tribunals mean many genuine voters may miss the chance to vote if their appeals are not heard in time. This raises questions about free and fair elections, voter rights and the efficiency of the Election Commission.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticised the SIR, calling it a deliberate attempt to delete names of genuine Bengali-speaking voters, including Hindus and Muslims. The BJP has supported the exercise, saying it removes illegal immigrants and fake voters. The Supreme Court has been monitoring to protect the constitutional right to vote under Article 326 while ensuring only eligible citizens are on the rolls.

This case highlights the need for timely, transparent and technology-driven voter list revisions. It shows the important role of the judiciary in protecting democratic rights when administrative processes face challenges. For UPSC aspirants, it is a good example of how the Election Commission, Supreme Court and state machinery work together in the world’s largest democracy to balance clean electoral rolls with the fundamental right to vote.