West Bengal SIR appeals: 3.7 million cases, 12 years to clear

West Bengal’s voter list review, known as the Special Investigation Review (SIR), has generated a flood of appeals after names were removed from the electoral roll. The Election Commission reports that 3.7 million appeals have been filed with the Supreme Court‑created tribunal, while only 126,000 cases were resolved in the last five months.

Current Status

As of 16 September, 3,705,235 cases remain pending. The tribunal processes roughly 25,238 cases each month, excluding weekends. At this rate, it would take about 146 months, or just over 12 years, to clear the backlog if the tribunal works every day without breaks.

Workload and Pace

With 126,000 cases settled in five months, the average monthly clearance is 25,238. This figure includes only working days, meaning the actual time required could be longer if holidays are considered.

Recommendations

The Election Commission has asked the Supreme Court to increase the number of tribunals from 24 to 42 and to allow judicial officers to work from home. These measures, it says, would speed up the resolution of appeals and reduce the backlog.

Political Response

The Congress party criticised the SIR process, alleging that it disproportionately removed names of economically and socially disadvantaged voters. It called the review a “mass removal” that undermines the constitution.