West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) appellate tribunals have suffered another departure, with retired Calcutta High Court judge Biswajit Basu resigning on Saturday, November 7, citing personal reasons. Basu communicated his decision to Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge, according to reports citing sources familiar with the development. His resignation makes him the fourth member to leave the original tribunal panel, raising fresh questions about the capacity to handle voter appeals in the state.
The tribunals were established under the Supreme Court's directions to examine appeals concerning names deleted or disputed during the Election Commission of India's electoral roll revision in West Bengal. Basu's departure comes as thousands of cases remain to be adjudicated and the Election Commission's digital procedures and tribunal infrastructure have faced concerns from members of the judicial panels.
Why Basu's resignation matters
Basu's departure is significant because the tribunals are responsible for reviewing electoral disputes that could determine whether thousands of people are included in West Bengal's voter lists. He had been assigned cases ...