WB Polls: Justice T.S. Sivagnanam Resigns from SIR Tribunal After Clearing More Voter Appeals Than Total Restorations by EC

Former Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Justice T.S. Sivagnanam has resigned from the Special Intensive Revision Appellate Tribunal. This tribunal was set up to hear appeals against the deletion of names from electoral rolls in West Bengal. He was one of 19 retired judges appointed following Supreme Court directions. He cited personal reasons for stepping down. Reports suggest he also noted that at the current pace it would take nearly four years to clear the backlog of appeals in Kolkata.

Official data data accessed after his resignation showed Justice Sivagnanam disposed of 1,777 SIR-related appeals within just 22 days. This number is substantially higher than voters restored to electoral rolls by all tribunals before polling. He allowed 1,717 appeals from voters whose names were deleted during SIR exercise. He dismissed 60 appeals filed by Election Commission against fresh inclusions in Birbhum district.

Election Commission data a day before polling indicated only 1,607 deleted voters were restored through appellate process across all tribunals combined. Over 27 lakh voters reportedly challenged deletions before appellate authorities. Justice Sivagnanam's tribunal appears to have disposed of more appeals than total voters reinstated before elections. He had been hearing matters from Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Malda, Murshidabad and Birbhum after his March 20 appointment under Supreme Court directions.