Bengal SIR Hearing Live Updates: The Supreme Court is hearing the Election Commission's reply to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's petition challenging the special intensive revision (SIR) in the state.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi is taking up the matter.
Making sweeping allegations against the poll body, the West Bengal Chief Minister thundered in the top court over 1.36 crore voters on a logical discrepancy list who she claimed risked deletion on the basis of systematic errors like "misspellings in surnames" or change in addresses of daughters after marriage.
She had also raked up the issue of deployment of 8,300 Micro-observers appointed by the ECI in the state who she called the central govt's officers and claimed they were deleting voter names unconstitutionally without any authority.
Here Are The Bengal SIR Hearing Live Updates:
"Won't Allow Any Impediment To SIR Process," Supreme Court Warns States
The Supreme Court today delivered a strong message to all state governments: the process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls cannot be obstructed. The top court also extended the deadline for SIR in West Bengal by one more week.
Supreme Court Extends Bengal Voter List Publication Deadline
Supreme Court extends final voter list publication deadline in Bengal by one week. The earlier deadline was February 14.
Chief Justice Questions Top Bengal Officer Over SIR Exercise
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) asked if there was any official from West Bengal who could be questioned?
The petitioners said that the former Chief Secretary of the state government and the current Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Manoj Pant, was present in court.
The CJI said the real problem is whether or not the names of the 300 Group A ERO officers are available.
Manoj Pant said that all 292 names of the EROs have been sent. These are Group A officers of the SDM rank. There are also some IAS officers.
There are 8,525 Assistant EROs.
The CJI asked how many AERO officers have been deployed in each assembly constituency?
Pant said that 65% of the officers on the list are Group B officers, while 10-12% are Group C officers. The rest are Group A officers. The Election Commission was informed before these EROs were deployed, he said.
Supreme Court's Big SIR Message To All States
“Whatever orders or clarification required, we will issue. But we will not allow any impediment to the SIR process. This must be understood by all states," said Chief Justice Surya Kant.
Election Commission On Why Micro Observers Were Deployed
The Election Commission said five letters were written to the West Bengal government stating that these are the officers we want. "They have not given," the poll body said on why micro observers were deployed.
Bengal SIR Case In Supreme Court
The Chief Justice remarked that 8,500 officers have now been deployed
"If done earlier, it would probably get approved," he said.
In response, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Bengal government, said that the Election Commission had never requested Group-B officers nor had it made any such request to the state.
Election Commission vs Mamata Banerjee In Supreme Court
The Election Commission (EC) claimed that particulars and details of officers were not shared.
Shyam Diwan, appearing for Mamamta Banerjee, countered the EC's claims, saying names are ready and compiled and were sent to the poll panel.
Chief Justice's Question To Mamata Banerjee
Chief Justice Surya Kant asked Mamata Banerjee: "Why you are sending names on 12 am on Feb 7 on mail when we gave directions on Feb 4?"
