The Supreme Court has permitted the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to deploy additional civil judges and seek judicial officers from neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha to handle nearly 80 lakh claims and objections arising from the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant considered a communication from the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice stating that 250 district judges currently assigned to the task would need about 80 days to complete the verification process. Given the tight timelines, the apex court approved the engagement of more civil judges and directed the High Court to requisition judicial officers of equivalent rank from Jharkhand and Odisha.

The Court further directed the Election Commission to bear the costs associated with deploying officers from the two states. It also allowed the poll body to publish the final electoral roll on February 28, while clarifying that supplementary lists may be issued as the verification continues.

Invoking its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Court observed that eligible voters identified during the ongoing scrutiny may be included through supplementary rolls, which will form part of the final electoral list.

Earlier, noting tensions between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission over the revision exercise, the Court had ordered the deployment of serving and former district judges to expedite the process.