SIR in WB: SC refuses to entertain state's objection to EC training module for judicial officers

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain the West Bengal government's objection over the training module issued by the Election Commission for judicial officers deployed in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the judicial officers would not be "influenced by anything" and the orders passed by the apex court in the matter were as clear as daylight.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for West Bengal, mentioned the matter before the bench.

"Something strange has happened. While your lordships passed the order that all the modalities will be settled by the chief justice (of the Calcutta High Court) and the committee, what they have done is, behind the back, they have issued directions to the judicial officers and issued a training module saying this is what they should accept and this is what they should not accept," Sibal told the bench.

The CJI, however, said the judicial officers deployed for the exercise in the state would take a call. "We can't hear like this. There has to be an end to it," the CJI said.

Referring to the February 20 order of the top court, Sibal argued that the bench had said the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court would decide the modalities.

The bench responded, "Modalities means the arrangements for this entire process that is to be undertaken. Please don't make little excuses and stall everything".

"We know our judicial officers. They are not to be influenced by anything," the CJI said.

"We have made it very clear what the documents are to be looked into. Our orders are as clear as daylight," the bench said.

Another advocate informed the bench that judicial officers in Kolkata were being trained by the poll panel. "Who else will give the training?" the bench asked, and asserted that neither the poll panel nor the state government would go beyond the orders passed by the apex court.

"Our judicial officers understand our orders. It is a completely alien responsibility which we gave to them," the bench said, noting that it had already specified the documents to be examined "because we thought we will not leave any grey area".

"Let them do their work. Our orders are very clear," the bench said.

Sibal further requested that the court direct the publication of supplementary lists as and when people are cleared in the claims and objections process.

The counsel appearing for EC said the poll panel would certainly do it.

Dismayed over the ongoing tussle between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission, the top court on February 20 issued an "extraordinary" direction to deploy serving and former district judges to assist the poll panel in the controversy-ridden SIR of electoral rolls in the state.

On February 24, the top court allowed the deployment of West Bengal civil judges, in addition to 250 district judges, and the requisitioning of judicial officers from Jharkhand and Odisha to handle 80 lakh claims and objections of those facing deletion from the electoral roll in the ongoing SIR exercise in the state.

The top court had asked the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court to spare some judicial officers and find former judges to assist in the SIR work, as it took serious note of the state government not sparing enough grade 'A' officers for the revision exercise.

It had also allowed the poll panel to publish the final electoral roll on February 28, and clarified that the EC can issue supplementary lists as the verification process proceeds. PTI ABA MNL RHL