"If You Keep Filing...": Supreme Court Frustrated Over Multiple SIR Pleas

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed frustration over multiple petitions being filed from across Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala over the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being carried out by the Election Commission.

"Our worry is all political persons are coming here to gain limelight," visibly agitated Chief Justice Surya Kant said on the increasing number of pleas flagging several distinct issues.

Keep filing more and more petitions and keep politicising the issue, he said.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi directed for segregation of petitions in the SIR matters state-wise, so the Supreme Court can hear each state issue separately.

While issuing notices on at least five new petitions raising different issues for Assam, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court expressed concern as to when it will get to hear the main issue on the legality of the SIR.

The Chief Justice also clarified that it is important that the legality of the SIR in Bihar be decided on as a priority, as its decision on the same will impact the ongoing process in other states as well. 

Senior advocate Sidharth Dave, appearing for a petitioner from Uttar Pradesh, told the top court that his plea is concerning the timeline that has been set out in the notification. For a state as large as Uttar Pradesh, he claimed that the timeline prescribed is not enough. 

Another counsel on the SIR in Tamil Nadu said that migrant workers of the southern state return only after Pongal, and thus the court must consider extending the timeline for the same. 

The Supreme Court also expressed concern over a plea flagging a history of poll violence in West Bengal and seeking deployment of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state to ensure security of the booth-level officers (BLOs).

While issuing notice to the Centre and the poll body on this plea, the top court expressed concern over instances where electoral offices were gheraoed" (cornered). Chief Justice Surya Kant clarified that anarchy cannot be allowed, and it is important the poll body acts on time to ensure the security of the BLOs. 

In another plea, the Supreme Court also issued notice to the poll body as to why Assam was left out from the exercise of the SIR.