Calcutta HC Forms Panel to Manage Urgent Cases Amid SIR Deployment

PTI, Feb 22, 2026, Kolkata: Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul has constituted a committee to oversee interim arrangements for shifting urgent matters to alternative courts following the engagement of judicial officers for work related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal.

On February 20, the Supreme Court issued an "extraordinary" direction to deploy serving and former district judges to assist the poll panel in the controversy-ridden Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

A notification by the high court administration said the Chief Justice (CJ) on Saturday constituted a committee comprising Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty, Arijit Banerjee, Registrar General Nabanita Ray, Registrar (Judicial Service) Raju Mukherjee, and Ajay Kumar Das, Joint-Registrar-cum-Secretary to the CJ, to "look after the interim arrangement for shifting of matters of interim relief or urgent nature to alternative courts."

The CJ has ordered the cancellation of leaves of all judicial officers posted in different courts in West Bengal till March 9 to ensure compliance with the directions passed by the apex court for the completion of the SIR in the state. He has also constituted a committee in each district, comprising the district judge, the district magistrate, and the SP, for smooth compliance with the top court order.

In compliance with the apex court’s direction, Chief Justice Paul on Saturday held a high-level meeting at the high court premises, which was attended by the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police, Advocate General, Additional Solicitor General representing the Centre, and the Registrar General.