‘Will Get A Report From High Court CJ Today’: SC On ‘Non-Functioning’ Of Appellate Tribunals In Bengal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it will seek a report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court after a counsel insisted before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant that the appellate tribunals are not functioning.

The appellate tribunals were constituted to hear appeals filed against exclusions/inclusions in the electoral rolls of West Bengal after the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise carried out by the Election Commission.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat mentioned the matter before the bench, which also comprised Justice Joymalya Bagchi. Kamat contended before the bench that the appellate tribunals are not allowing lawyers to represent parties and are not accepting physical applications.

“Lawyers have not been allowed. My lords, they only take internet or computer-based applications…”. The bench observed that this is not correct. Kamat insisted that citizens are not being allowed to represent themselves. “This is a professional strategy from this side. Every day you people, one after the other,” observed the CJI.

“Your lordships’ orders are not being followed. That is my respectful submission,” said Kamat. “We will get a report from the chief justice today itself”, said the CJI. After hearing brief submissions, the bench moved on to the next matter.

Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, and votes will be counted on May 4.