Overview The Supreme Court on 10 March 2026 directed the formation of special Appellate Tribunals comprising former Chief Justices and High Court judges to hear appeals against exclusions in the West Bengal SIR exercise. The move addresses concerns over the lack of an independent appellate mechanism and aims to restore confidence between the State, the Election Commission of India and the judiciary. Key Developments SC ordered the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court to recommend former Chief Justices and two‑three former High Court judges, preferably from Calcutta or neighbouring states, as members of the Appellate Tribunals. The honourarium for tribunal members will be fixed by the Chief Justice in consultation with the ECI, which will bear the entire expense. Both parties may approach the Chief Justice regarding the publication of supplementary lists of objections already disposed of; the ECI must act on any recommendation. The Court rejected two fresh writ petitions seeking relief against exclusion, directing petitioners to use the newly created appellate route. SC reiterated that orders of Judicial Officers cannot be appealed before any executive or administrative forum. Important Facts As of 9 March 2026, the Calcutta High Court reported disposal of 10.16 lakh objections. Around 500 Judicial Officers from West Bengal and 200 from Odisha and Jharkhand have been deployed, working round‑the‑clock. Approximately 700 login IDs were created by 8 March to facilitate mobilisation. The Court noted logistical and technical glitches, attributing them to the ECI, and instructed the ECI to provide full support to the High Court and the officers. UPSC Relevance This case illustrates the interplay between the judiciary, the election machinery and state administration—core topics for GS 2 (Polity) . It highlights: The constitutional role of the ECI in maintaining a clean electoral roll. The Supreme Court’s power to issue directions to ensure procedural fairness and to set up ad‑hoc tribunals. Issues of administrative autonomy, judicial independence and the concept of “trust deficit” between institutions. Way Forward • The Chief Justice must promptly nominate tribunal members and fix their remuneration. • The ECI should resolve portal‑related technical glitches and ensure timely creation of login IDs. • Petitioners excluded from the final list should file appeals before the newly constituted Appellate Tribunals. • Both the State government and the ECI must provide logistical support to the Judicial Officers to complete the SIR exercise without further delays.