<h3>Overview</h3> <p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Supreme Court of India — apex judicial body that interprets the Constitution and adjudicates disputes involving the Union and states (GS2: Polity)">Supreme Court</span> on 20 April 2026 ordered that the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Chief Justice of India — the senior‑most judge of the Supreme Court, responsible for allocation of cases and administrative functions (GS2: Polity)">Chief Justice of India</span> <span class="key-term" data-definition="Surya Kant — incumbent CJI as of 2026, heading the Supreme Court’s judicial administration (GS2: Polity)">Surya Kant</span> will obtain a report from the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Calcutta High Court — the highest court of the Indian state of West Bengal, exercising original and appellate jurisdiction (GS2: Polity)">Calcutta High Court</span> Chief Justice on the functioning of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Appellate Tribunals — quasi‑judicial bodies set up to hear appeals against inclusion or exclusion of names from electoral rolls after a Special Intensive Revision (GS2: Polity)">Appellate Tribunals</span> created after the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — a focused exercise by the Election Commission to clean and update electoral rolls before elections (GS2: Polity)">Special Intensive Revision (SIR)</span> in West Bengal.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Senior Advocate <span class="key-term" data-definition="Devadatt Kamat — senior counsel appearing before the Supreme Court on the West Bengal SIR matter (GS2: Polity)">Devadatt Kamat</span> alleged that the tribunals are not functioning despite earlier Supreme Court directions.</li> <li>The tribunals allegedly refuse physical applications, allow only internet‑based filings, and bar lawyers from representing parties.</li> <li>The Court had previously ordered that any appeal allowed within two days of the polling dates (23 April and 29 April 2026) must enable the petitioner to vote.</li> <li>CJI <span class="key-term" data-definition="Surya Kant — incumbent CJI as of 2026, heading the Supreme Court’s judicial administration (GS2: Polity)">Surya Kant</span> expressed displeasure at the repeated filings and said a report will be obtained “today itself”.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>1. The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Electoral roll — the official list of eligible voters in a constituency, crucial for ensuring universal adult suffrage (GS2: Polity)">electoral rolls</span> are being revised under SIR to delete ineligible names and add eligible ones before the 2026 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal.</p> <p>2. The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Appellate Tribunals — quasi‑judicial bodies set up to hear appeals against inclusion or exclusion of names from electoral rolls after a Special Intensive Revision (GS2: Polity)">Appellate Tribunals</span> were constituted by the Election