Supreme Court of India (SC) refuses voting rights to 34 lakh West Bengal residents with pending electoral roll appeals.

Key facts

• The Supreme Court of India (SC) bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi declined to permit 34 lakh appellants excluded from West Bengal electoral rolls to vote in the 2026 polls while their appeals remain pending.
• The Court was hearing petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal and a suo motu case on the gherao of judicial officers in Malda district.
• Chief Justice Surya Kant stated that allowing excluded persons to vote would undermine the voting rights of those already included in the rolls.
• Justice Bagchi clarified that appellants whose appeals are allowed by 9 April will be included in the electoral roll even if the decision comes shortly after the 6 April list publication.
• The bench directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the West Bengal government to continue security for judicial officers until elections conclude and to withdraw protection only by further Court orders.