Supreme Court Expresses Dissatisfaction Over Sluggish Functioning of SIR Tribunals in West Bengal, Seeks ECI Report

Hearing a petition filed by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, the Supreme Court expressed strong displeasure over the sluggish pace of appeal disposals by tribunals.

Key Highlights:
- Court Observations: The Chief Justice and Justice Bagchi remarked that at the current rate of disposal, the appeals process would stretch out until the next election, emphasizing that the number of resolved cases matters just as much as filings.
- ECI Accountability: The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to submit detailed data on the total number of cases filed and disposed of by these tribunals, scheduling the next hearing for August 25.
- Collateral Issues: The bench also addressed concerns regarding access to ration systems for individuals whose names were removed from voter lists, noting that related grievances would be directed to the High Court while keeping close tabs on tribunal outcomes.