The Election Commission has proposed considering an increase in the number of appellate tribunals in West Bengal to correspond with the number of parliamentary constituencies, potentially expediting the disposal of pending appeals.
According to a report by The Hindu, the Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that it may increase the number of appellate tribunals in West Bengal from the current 19 to 42, which aligns with the demand of petitioners challenging the voter roll revision exercise.
Currently, there are 19 tribunals hearing appeals filed against decisions made during the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The poll panel stated that this move is proposed to facilitate expeditious disposal of the pending appeals.
Prasenjit Bose, the chairperson of the special intensive revision committee of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, had previously urged the court to increase the number of tribunals to 42, considering the upcoming municipal polls scheduled for December. This request was made in response to concerns about the capacity of the current tribunals to handle the large number of appeals.
In its affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the Election Commission added that the software it has developed is location-agnostic, which would facilitate hearings from locations other than the present tribunals, currently situated on the outskirts of Kolkata. The poll panel made this submission in reply to an application filed by Derek O’Brien, an MP of the former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress.
The appellate tribunals were set up after a Supreme Court order on March 10, and panels composed of former High Court chief justices and judges hear appeals against exclusions in the voter roll revision process. A person whose claim for inclusion in the electoral rolls has been rejected by a judicial officer can approach the tribunal.
Source:
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