SC rejects TMC plea against EC training of judges in WB SIR
SC rejects TMC plea against EC training of judges in WB SIR
SC dismisses TMC objections to EC training of judicial officers in West Bengal's SIR process, stressing adherence to court orders and non-interference.
The Supreme Court of India on Friday orally dismissed objections raised by the Trinamool Congress to the Election Commission of India (ECI) imparting training to judicial officers deployed for claims verification under West Bengal’s special intensive revision (SIR) process, telling petitioners not to “doubt judicial officers” or stall the exercise with “small excuses.”
The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, declined to entertain the oral mention by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who argued that the training module was framed “behind your back” after prior orders. Sibal claimed the module specified which documents should be accepted and stated it instructed officers not to accept domicile certificates. The bench, however, expressed reluctance to reopen the issue.
“Now don’t doubt our judicial officers, ultimately they will decide,” the court said. When Sibal contended that modalities referred to the Calcutta High Court’s decisions, the bench clarified that “modalities” referred to logistical arrangements, not substantive adjudicatory guidelines. “Don’t stall the process with small excuses; we cannot hear like this. There has to be an end to this. We passed an order beyond your imagination,” the court remarked, underscoring that judicial officers were fully aware of the Supreme Court’s directions.
It further underlined that the apex court’s directions were clear and could not be overridden, asserting that the ECI’s training module could not supersede court orders. The case involves over 250 serving and retired district judges who are currently deciding nearly five million claims and objections in the WB SIR process, and the ruling aims to keep the verification work on track and avoid unnecessary delays.
This decision comes amid ongoing debates about the ECI’s involvement in training judicial officers and ensuring the integrity and independence of verification during West Bengal’s SIR exercise.
