SIR exercise: Cal HC CJ cancels leave of all civil judges in West Bengal

Kolkata, Feb 24 (PTI) The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered cancellation of leaves of all civil judges in different courts of West Bengal till further orders for ensuring compliance with directions passed by the Supreme Court for completion of the SIR of electoral rolls in the state.

A notification by the Registrar General of the high court said that all judicial officers, posted as civil judge (senior division), chief judicial magistrate, additional chief judicial magistrate and civil judge (junior division) and judicial magistrate, are refrained from taking any leave of absence with immediate effect, till further orders, except under medical emergency.

Chief Justice Sujoy Paul directed that, in view of an order passed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, all the judicial officers of the said ranks who are on leave must join their respective court and office by February 25.

It was further directed that all judicial officers of these ranks who are under transfer orders but have not yet delivered charge of their court and office will be deemed released from their present posting, effective February 25 and must join their respective new assignments by this date.

The top court on Tuesday permitted the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice to deploy civil judges and also requisition judicial officers from neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha to deal with 80 lakh claims and objections in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

The apex court took note of a letter by the Chief Justice Paul that said 250 district judges deployed in the SIR exercise will take around 80 days to deal with the claims and objections.

Taking note of the grim situation and the time constraints, the Supreme Court permitted the deployment of civil judges to conduct the process. PTI AMR NN