The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Election Commission and West Bengal government over allegations of threats to BLOs during the SIR voter-list revision, stressing that extraordinary intervention requires strong, credible evidence, not political claims.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the West Bengal government after a petition alleged that booth-level officers (BLOs) verifying electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) were facing obstruction and intimidation in several parts of the state.
The petition, moved by the organisation Sanatani Sangsad, requested the court to order that the West Bengal police be placed under the Election Commission’s control until the revision exercise is completed, arguing that local political interference has created an unsafe environment for officials conducting door-to-door verification. The petitioner also urged consideration of deploying central security forces to ensure neutrality in the process.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi expressed reservations about issuing broad directions without concrete evidence. The judges noted that apart from one FIR, the material submitted relied mainly on newspaper reports and broad claims of recurring violence.
Justice Bagchi observed that issuing a special order to place an entire state police force under the ECI’s command would require compelling justification:
“Is the situation so exceptional that we must treat West Bengal differently from every other state? Before we intervene, we need credible evidence, not just narrative,”
he remarked.
The court emphasised that extraordinary relief cannot be granted if the allegations are speculative or based on political rivalry.
Representing the Election Commission, counsel stated that ensuring safety for its field officers is the constitutional responsibility of the state government. He added that the Commission had already asked the West Bengal government for security support and that escalation, such as deputing state police or seeking central forces, may become necessary only if cooperation is refused.
The ECI also refuted claims that BLOs were overloaded, pointing out administrative steps such as reducing the number of voters per booth to ease workload.
The bench clarified that it is not looking to involve itself in political debate or partisan claims, stressing that its sole objective is ensuring a fair and disruption-free voter-list revision process.
“We want the exercise to proceed without hurdles. If the ECI later records lack of cooperation from the State, it is free to approach us and we will pass appropriate orders,”
the court said.
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