New Delhi, 24 April (H.S.):

Some election officials on poll duty in West Bengal have approached the Supreme Court, alleging that their names have been removed from the voter list, depriving them of the right to vote even as they are assigned to conduct the election. The officers told the bench that although they hold valid voter ID cards, their names were suddenly dropped from the electoral rolls, leaving them unable to cast their own ballots in the ongoing Assembly elections.

Lawyer M R Shamsad raised the issue before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, stating that 65 such election officials are affected. He argued that these officers are actively deployed in election‑duty roles, yet have been excluded from the voter list, creating a situation where “those conducting the polls cannot vote.”

The officers complained that the deletion took place without adequate notice or explanation, and that they face practical and psychological humiliation in having to oversee the democratic process while being denied participation in it.

Chief Justice Surya Kant asked the petitioners to first place their grievances before the appellate tribunal, which has been empowered to hear appeals against deletions from the voter list. Justice Joymalya Baghchi added that, given the proximity to polling dates, the officers may not be able to vote in the current election, but the more important issue is ensuring that their names are restored and protected in the electoral rolls for the future.

The court indicated that the tribunal would examine the anomalies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and take appropriate measures to safeguard the voting rights of eligible citizens, including those serving in election‑related duties.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar