Supreme Court Expresses Frustration Over Multiple Special Intensive Revision Petitions From Various States

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court expressed significant frustration on Tuesday regarding the numerous petitions filed from various states including Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission.

Chief Justice Surya Kant, visibly irritated, remarked, "Our worry is all political persons are coming here to gain limelight." He further cautioned against continuously filing more petitions and politicizing the issue.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi ordered the segregation of petitions in SIR matters by state, allowing the Supreme Court to address each state's issues separately.

The Supreme Court issued notices on at least five new petitions highlighting different concerns for Assam, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, while expressing worry about when they would be able to address the main question regarding the legality of the SIR.

Chief Justice Kant emphasized the importance of prioritizing a decision on the legality of the SIR in Bihar, noting that this ruling would impact ongoing processes in other states as well.

Senior advocate Sidharth Dave, representing a petitioner from Uttar Pradesh, informed the court that his petition concerned the timeline established in the notification. He argued that for a state as large as Uttar Pradesh, the prescribed timeline was insufficient.

Another counsel discussing the SIR in Tamil Nadu pointed out that migrant workers from the southern state typically return only after Pongal festivities, suggesting the court should consider extending the timeline accordingly.

The Supreme Court also showed concern regarding a plea highlighting a history of poll violence in West Bengal and requesting deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to ensure the safety of booth-level officers (BLOs).

While issuing notice to the Centre and the Election Commission on this matter, the court expressed concern about instances where electoral offices were "gheraoed" (surrounded). Chief Justice Surya Kant clarified that anarchy would not be permitted and emphasized the importance of the Election Commission acting promptly to ensure BLO security.

In another petition, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Election Commission questioning why Assam was excluded from the SIR exercise.