In an extraordinary order, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the deployment of serving and former district judges to assist the Election Commission in conducting a special intensive revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal. "An unfortunate blame game and allegations and counter-allegations which indicated a trust deficit between two Constitutional bodies, namely the democratically elected State Government and the Election Commission of India," the CJI said in the order.
Calling it a "measure taken in extraordinary circumstances", the CJI ordered that judicial officers be deputed to adjudicate claims and objections of individuals placed under a “logical discrepancy” list during the revision process.
It asked the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court to assign serving judicial officers and identify former judges to assist in the work, taking note of what it described as the state government’s failure to spare enough Grade A officers for the revision exercise.
The Supreme Court permitted the Election Commission to publish a draft electoral roll by February 28 and allowed it to issue supplementary lists later.
Judicial officers will be assisted by micro-observers and state government officials in carrying out the revision process, the court said.
The bench directed district collectors and superintendents of police in the state to provide logistical support and security to the judicial officers deputed for the ongoing work. It clarified that orders passed by these officers would be deemed court orders.
The bench also directed the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court to convene a meeting by Saturday with key stakeholders, including the chief secretary, the director general of police and a representative of the Election Commission.
The Supreme Court pulled up the state government for not cooperating with the Election Commission of India (ECI), particularly for failing to provide SDM/SDO-rank officials to act as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) despite a request made long ago.
The CJI also came down heavily on the state Director General of Police (DGP), warning of consequences if action is not taken against provocative speeches. Reacting to an ECI complaint about a series of such speeches across the state, the CJI said, “Unfortunately in this country, at time of election all kinds of irresponsible statements are made. If the DGP cannot stop it now, he will face serious consequences.”
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