Overview
- The three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the Election Commission of India to place on record the number of SIR appeals disposed of and those still pending in West Bengal appellate tribunals.
- The court refused to fix a binding timeline for tribunal decisions at this stage but said it will examine tribunal performance, logistics and infrastructure if disposal rates appear inadequate.
- Reporting and petitions put the backlog at roughly 34 lakh appeals while petitioners have said only about 38,000 appeals have been disposed so far, a tiny fraction of the total.
- Petitioners asked for block-level tribunals, more judges and a digital case platform to speed access and rulings, and the court signalled those structural changes may be considered after it reviews the disposal data.
- Allegations that deleted voters are being denied PDS and other welfare benefits were not taken up in the Supreme Court petition and were directed to be pursued in the Calcutta High Court.