No Issues Expected in Implementing Supreme Court Order on Voter Enrolment

No hurdle in implementing SC order on voter enrolment

PTI, Kolkata, Apr 16, 2026 :  West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Thursday said that there would be no complications in implementing the Supreme Court of India’s recent directive on voter enrolment, asserting that the entire process has been streamlined online.

The apex court has directed the Election Commission of India (EC) to issue a supplementary revised electoral roll to include the voters whose appeals against the deletion of their names are allowed by the appellate tribunals in West Bengal by April 21 or April 27, as the case may be.

The state is scheduled to go to polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29.

Responding to queries on the issue, Agarwal said, “There will be no difficulty in complying with the Supreme Court’s order. The entire process has been made online, and arrangements are in place to handle all applications digitally.”

The CEO emphasised that the online mechanism ensures transparency and ease of access for voters seeking to register or update their details.

Agarwal said the digital system would allow eligible citizens to apply for inclusion in the electoral rolls even at the last moment.

The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court has set up 19 tribunals headed by former high court Chief Justices and judges to decide appeals against deletion of names from the voters' list during the SIR exercise.

On whether individuals who have regained their voting rights would be able to contest elections, Agarwal said such applicants had already been allowed to submit their nominations on a priority basis.

Officials said the move is aimed at ensuring wider participation and smoother implementation of electoral procedures in line with court directives.