SC flags ‘trust deficit’, orders deployment of judicial officers in Bengal’s SIR exercise

New Delhi, Feb 20: Dismayed over ongoing tussle between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission, the Supreme Court on Friday issued an “extraordinary” direction to deploy serving and former district judges to assist the poll panel in the controversy-ridden special intensive revision of electoral rolls in the state.

Ruing the “unfortunate blame game” and the “trust deficit” between the EC and the “democratically elected” TMC government, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi passed a slew of fresh directions to ensure completion of the special intensive revision (SIR) process.

The bench ordered deputation of judicial officers for adjudication of claims and objections of the persons, who are put under the logical discrepancy lists and facing removal of their names from the electoral rolls.