<h2>Overview</h2>
<p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Supreme Court (SC) — the apex judicial body in India whose orders are binding on all courts and constitutional bodies (GS2: Polity)">Supreme Court</span> on 10 March 2026 directed the formation of special <span class="key-term" data-definition="Appellate Tribunal — a temporary body of former High Court judges set up to hear appeals against decisions of the Judicial Officers in the SIR process, ensuring an independent review (GS2: Polity)">Appellate Tribunals</span> comprising former Chief Justices and High Court judges to hear appeals against exclusions in the <span class="key-term" data-definition="West Bengal Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — a fast‑track process to verify and delete ineligible names from the electoral roll in West Bengal, aimed at ensuring clean voter lists (GS2: Polity)">West Bengal SIR</span> exercise. The move addresses concerns over the lack of an independent appellate mechanism and aims to restore confidence between the State, the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Election Commission of India (ECI) — the constitutional authority responsible for administering elections and maintaining the electoral roll across India (GS2: Polity)">Election Commission of India</span> and the judiciary.</p>
<h2>Key Developments</h2>
<ul>
<li>SC ordered the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court — the senior-most judge of the Calcutta High Court, tasked with recommending members and fixing honorarium for the Appellate Tribunal (GS2: Polity)">Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court</span> to recommend former Chief Justices and two‑three former High Court judges, preferably from Calcutta or neighbouring states, as members of the Appellate Tribunals.</li>
<li>The honourarium for tribunal members will be fixed by the Chief Justice in consultation with the ECI, which will bear the entire expense.</li>
<li>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.</li>
<li>The Court rejected two fresh writ petitions seeking relief against exclusion, directing petitioners to use the newly created appellate route.</li>
<li>SC reiterated that orders of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Judicial Officer (JO) — a sitting or retired judge appointed to adjudicate claims and objections in the SIR exercise, acting as quasi‑tribunal members (GS2: Polity)">Judicial Officers</span> cannot be appealed before any executive or administrative forum.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Important Facts</h2>
<p>As of 9 March 2026, the Calcutta High Court reported disposal of <strong>10.16 lakh</strong> objections. Around <strong>500</strong> Judicial Officers from West Bengal and <strong>200</strong> from Odisha and Jharkhand have been deployed, working round‑the‑clock. Approximately <strong>700</strong> login IDs were created by 8 March to facilitate mobili
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