The Supreme Court of India has come down heavily on the Election Commission regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, describing the exercise as “deeply painful” and “ruthless” for the common citizens. During the high-profile hearing on April 1, 2026, the apex court flagged the immense “stress and strain” caused to nearly 1.36 crore people—almost 20% of the state’s population—who received notices over alleged discrepancies.

The bench was particularly critical of the EC’s “Logical Discrepancies” category, which flagged voters based on criteria like having more than six children or an age gap of less than 15 years between parent and child. “Where does the statutory sanction for such criteria come from? You are inventing rules to profile citizens,” the Court remarked. The judges noted that many of these discrepancies were clerical or systemic errors rather than grounds for disenfranchisement.

In a landmark directive, the Supreme Court ordered that no valid voter should be struck off the rolls without a fair personal hearing and verified documentation. To alleviate public harassment, the Court mandated the public display of all discrepancy lists at Gram Panchayat and Block offices. This judicial intervention is seen as a major safeguard for democratic rights ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections, ensuring that the poll body does not overstep its mandate under the guise of technical revision.