"Don't even dare to question the judicial officers. What more sacrifice do you want from them? They are working overtime to hear the cases of deleted voters from West Bengal. I will not tolerate this," Chief Justice Surya Kant said.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi agreed to hear the petitions on Tuesday — March 10 — along with the main West Bengal SIR matter, after Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy mentioned the issue and urged the Bench to take up the petitions together with the main matter listed for hearing tomorrow (on Tuesday).
Addressing a press conference in Kochi after reviewing preparations for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, the CEC said maintaining the purity of electoral rolls is fundamental to a healthy democratic system.
In most of these cases, voters initiated the removal themselves or the deletions occurred due to death or duplication.
A Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued the clarification after concerns were raised by the Election Commission whether the admit card could be treated as a standalone proof of identity.
The fresh directions were issued after the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court informed the apex court that around 250 District and Additional District Judges had been assigned the task of examining nearly 50 lakh claims and objections
Party's Delhi unit chief Virendra Sachdeva said that the BJP has constituted teams of workers to assist voters in resolving any issues they might face during the SIR process.
The Commission noted that ensuring updated and error-free electoral rolls is fundamental to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process, particularly with several States set to witness important electoral activities in the coming years.
In a formal communication to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, the ECI conveyed the Supreme Court’s order and emphasised strict compliance with the court's instructions. T
As over 3.26 crore voters would receive notices regarding their inclusion in the voter list, the ECI has extended the time for claims and objections from February to March 6.
