27L under scrutiny, 139 cleared to vote in Bengal Phase 1 polls

KOLKATA: Supreme Court-mandated tribunals have restored voting rights to 139 people - .005% of more than 27 lakh names struck off rolls in the first phase during judicial adjudication under special intensive revision (SIR) - on the eve of round one of Bengal assembly polls Thursday. SIR has cut Bengal's electorate from 7.6 crore to 6.8 crore.

Eight names earlier added by judicial officers were removed from supplementary rolls. Out of 34 lakh appeals overall, tribunals have disposed of just 147 so far. "All 139 can vote Thursday. Efforts are underway to ensure this," chief electoral officer Manoj Agarwal said. Those restored have been informed of booth details and returning officers.
Among the 139 cleared is 88-year-old Suprabuddha Sen, maternal grandson of Nandalal Bose, who illustrated the original Constitution manuscript. Sen is unlikely to vote due to ill-health and missed the window for home voting. His wife Deepa Sen, 82, and caretaker Chakradhar Nayek - both cleared - are likely to vote at Visva Bharati Staff Club in Santiniketan. The eight deleted can't file Form 6 for re-enrolment and must approach Calcutta HC or Supreme Court, Agarwal said. Tribunals have also rejected 510 appeals as incorrect applications.

As many as 510 appeals have been rejected for incorrect applications. Those applicants must seek fresh enrolment through Form 6. Legal challenge intensified Wednesday. A PIL in the Calcutta HC sought intervention in the functioning of 19 tribunals and the disclosure of their standard operating procedure, prepared by a panel of three HC judges. A division bench led by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul declined to hear it, directing petitioners to Supreme Court since tribunals were set up under apex court orders.

Data released Wednesday noted the scale of exclusions. In high-minority Samsherganj in Murshidabad - which had the highest deletions after judicial scrutiny at 74,775 and 91,712 across SIR stages - only one appellant, Dhuliyan municipality chairman Mohammad Injamul Islam, had voting rights restored.
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