New Delhi, February 9, 2026: The Supreme Court on Monday cautioned states against obstructing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and directed the West Bengal Director-General of Police (DGP) to submit a personal affidavit regarding allegations of violence and burning of Election Commission notices.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N.V. Anjaria, made it clear that the revision process must proceed without interference. “We will not allow anyone to create any impediment in the SIR exercise. This must be clear to the states,” the court said while hearing multiple petitions, including one filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Taking note of administrative requirements, the court extended by one week beyond February 14 the deadline for scrutiny of documents submitted by voters, giving Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) additional time to verify records and make informed decisions.
The Bench also considered the state government’s submission of a list of 8,505 Group-B officers to assist in the revision work. It directed the West Bengal government to ensure that these officials report to the respective District Electoral Officers or EROs by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The Election Commission (EC) has been given the authority to assess their suitability, assign roles, replace existing officers if necessary, and provide short-term training for the exercise.
The court said final decisions regarding changes in electoral rolls would rest solely with the designated electoral authorities, while the EC would determine the deployment and responsibilities of the additional officers.
During the hearing, the poll panel alleged in an affidavit that there were deliberate attempts to disrupt the revision process in the state, including incidents where official notices were allegedly destroyed. The EC also told the court that no FIRs had been registered so far in connection with the reported incidents.
After the state’s counsel disputed the claims, the Bench issued a show-cause notice to the West Bengal DGP, seeking a personal response on the law-and-order situation and the alleged violence.
The court recalled its earlier directions issued on January 19, which required district authorities and police to ensure that the revision exercise proceeds smoothly without disturbances.
Senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing the Chief Minister, expressed concerns about the possibility of large-scale exclusion of eligible voters and raised questions about the deployment of micro-observers. He said the state had already shared details of the 8,505 officers with the EC.
The court also declined to entertain attempts to politicise the matter after a lawyer questioned the Chief Minister’s personal appearance before the apex court earlier this month.
The proceedings come amid a dispute between the state government and the Election Commission over the scale of administrative support provided for the voter roll revision. The court said it would issue further directions or clarifications if required to ensure the smooth conduct of the process.
