SC assures judicial officers would remain ‘uninfluenced’ as Trinamool raises fears about EC ‘training’ module

The Supreme Court on Friday (February 27, 2026) assured that judicial officers appointed to verify the claims and objections of voters excluded from the electoral roll during the West Bengal Special Intensive Revision will remain objective and accept citizenship and identity proof documents listed in successive apex court orders.

The court rejected the All India Trinamool Congress government’s concern that the Election Commission was trying to “influence” judicial officials by giving them “training”.

In an oral statement before the Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the ruling party, said that the poll agency’s training module itself could violate the orders of the Supreme Court. Mr. Sibal stated that the module may even contain instructions not to obtain verification documents approved by the Supreme Court.

While explaining the impartiality of the administration of justice from the bench, Chief Justice Kant said, “We have gone beyond our imagination in this case… There must be an end to all this. We know our judicial officers. They will not be affected by anything. A person defends his case before the judiciary, the other side opposes the allegations, and in the end, we decide impartially.”

Mr. Sibal said judicial officers cannot take instructions from the Election Commission.

“The EC cannot tell judicial officers ‘don’t get this or that certificate’. They are not bound by such instructions,” the senior lawyer said.

Justice Bagchi pointed out that the EC has the authority to provide training. “Who else will provide the training? They are being trained to understand EC Net’s methods and the process of verification of documents… We have made this very clear in our orders regarding the documents that need to be examined in the verification process. Our orders are clear as daylight. The EC cannot override our orders,” Justice Bagchi commented.

Mr. Sibal said judicial officers were told not to accept residence certificates from Sub-Divisional Officers. However, the court said that the documents mentioned in its orders should be accepted.

Chief Justice Kant said verifying documents for the SIR was a “completely alien responsibility” for judicial officers. They had neither received training on this issue at the judicial academy nor was it part of their daily work. The court reminded that both the EC and the State government must ensure a conducive working environment for judicial officers.

“Look how far we have gone in this case… We have almost emptied the State judiciary…” Justice Bagchi remarked.

The court also asked the EC to publish and upload additional voter lists as soon as they are ready.

On February 20, the apex court passed an extraordinary order to appoint serving and retired judicial officers of “impeccable integrity” in West Bengal to take over the quasi-judicial duties of Election Registrars and Deputy Election Registrars in the SIR process.

They were tasked with hearing from thousands of voters who were excluded from the West Bengal electoral roll and received hearing notices after the EC found them “unmapped” or detected “logical inconsistencies” in their personal information.

Later, on February 24, the top court moved swiftly to increase the ranks of judicial officers appointed to help complete the West Bengal SIR process, even warning neighboring Odisha and Jharkhand to spare their judges.

The apex court directed that the verification of objections and allegations regarding logical inconsistencies or removal of mapping will be based on the documents listed in the EC’s October 27, 2025 SIR notification and subsequent orders of the court, which include pass along with Aadhaar and Madhyamik Class 10 admit card.

The court also allowed the EC to publish a voter list in West Bengal on February 28, 2026. However, additional lists will have to be published continuously until candidates are nominated for the Assembly elections.