Trinamool Congress Hails Supreme Court Order as Historic Victory in Voter List Dispute
In a significant development, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday declared the Supreme Court's order to replace Election Commission-appointed officers with judicial officers for handling SIR logical discrepancy cases as a historic victory. The party asserted that this decision validates its long-standing allegations that the logical discrepancy process was used to harass genuine voters and manipulate voter rolls.
Vindication of Claims Against Election Commission
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh emphasized that the apex court's directive, which mandates judicial officers or those appointed by the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice to adjudicate these cases, serves as a direct indictment of the Election Commission. He stated, "Even the topmost court of the land appears convinced that the poll body is not neutral, nor competent, after saddling people with unjustifiable hearing notices. This was a guise only to exclude voters, not include them."
The party further described the order as a no-trust vote against the EC, highlighting it as a scathing critique of a constitutional body failing in its duties. In a post on X, TMC remarked, "This constitutes a scathing indictment of a constitutional body that has failed in the faithful discharge of its duties. It is also a powerful vindication of our principled fight to safeguard the rights of the people and uphold the integrity of the democratic process."
Details of the Supreme Court Order and TMC's Response
Ghosh detailed how TMC and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee presented evidence in court, demonstrating that logical discrepancies, such as minor surname spelling errors, forced lakhs of voters to endure lengthy queues. He added, "This also manifests CM Mamata Banerjee's fight for the people. This is the way such BJP-driven political agendas need to be fought."
Senior advocate and four-time TMC Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee noted that the Supreme Court order undermines the authority of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who previously believed he had sole discretion over SIR-related matters. Banerjee said, "The CEC used to think that he was the only one who knew everything. The SC order proved that wrong. Now, the decision of judicial officers, to be appointed by Calcutta High Court to oversee the adjudication of the SIR exercise, will be final. This is a unique order, and even I did not expect such an unprecedented order."
Addressing Other Aspects and Future Implications
When questioned about the Supreme Court's remarks on law and order in Bengal, Ghosh chose to focus on the main issue, stating that the EC order clearly prioritizes judicial officers over the EC for deciding logical discrepancy cases. He mentioned, "There are multiple facets to the hearing. The EC order makes it clear that judicial officers — not the EC – will decide logical discrepancy cases. The other aspects of the order will be studied by legal experts. Those who miss the main point will try to harp on the others. We will speak on them at the appropriate time."
Regarding the EC's focus on name and age mismatches, Ghosh argued that such discrepancies are inevitable when processes are rushed. He explained, "Some are bound to happen if you rush through a process that takes 2 years to complete." On the potential impact of this no-trust with the EC on upcoming polls, he concluded, "We will think about it when it comes to that. Our first focus now is that no genuine voter is left out."
This order marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over voter list integrity, with TMC celebrating it as a triumph for democratic rights and accountability.
