The Supreme Court of India has issued a series of crucial directives regarding the voter adjudication process in West Bengal. Chief Justice of India (CJI) directed the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to form a three-member committee comprising former senior judges to streamline the functioning of 19 appeal tribunals. This committee must finalize the procedural framework by April 7.

During the hearing, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Shyam Divan, representing the state, highlighted that out of 60 lakh cases, nearly 20 lakh names have been deleted, sparking massive protests and long queues at tribunals. They requested the court to extend the appeal deadline to April 15 and publish the final list by April 18, five days before the first phase of polling on April 23.

The Apex Court noted that the portal for digital signatures would remain open until April 7. Addressing concerns over digital literacy, the CJI ruled that appeals can now be filed offline at District Magistrate (DM) offices, where a formal receipt must be provided. The committee will also decide whether all hearings will be centralized in Kolkata or decentralized to districts. The next hearing is scheduled for April 13.