Justice TS Sivagnanam resigns from Bengal SIR appellate tribunal

MP, May 8, 2026, Kolkata: Former Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court T S Sivagnanam has resigned from the SIR Appellate Tribunal constituted to hear appeals from voters excluded from West Bengal’s electoral rolls before the Assembly elections.

Appointed following Supreme Court directions, Sivagnanam reportedly cited personal reasons for his exit.

His resignation may further delay the appeal process amid controversy over the deletion of over 90 lakh names, of which nearly 27 lakh voters sought restoration through appellate tribunals, and only 136 persons were reportedly reinstated through the appellate mechanism before polling for the 2026 Assembly elections.

The development comes amid heightened political activity in the state, including preparations for the formation of the new government.

As Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives in Kolkata to chair a meeting with the BJP’s 207 newly elected MLAs and finalise the name of the Chief Minister of a BJP government in West Bengal, it marks a major political transition following the party’s Assembly victory.

Shah is expected to oversee the selection of the BJP’s legislative party leader, who will be sworn in as Chief Minister in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 9.

He is scheduled to attend meetings with party leaders after arriving in Kolkata on Friday, with discussions likely continuing till evening.

Sources indicate that Suvendu Adhikari is among the frontrunners for the top post, alongside other senior leaders including Samik Bhattacharya, Sukanta Majumdar and Swapan Dasgupta, with the possibility of a tribal face also being considered.

The BJP’s internal deliberations come at a time when political tensions in the state remain high following post-poll violence incidents, including the killing of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s aide Chandranath Rath, which has further intensified the political atmosphere.