Supreme Court extends deadline for SIR in West Bengal till February 21

The Supreme Court on Monday extended the February 14 deadline for the verification of documents and publication of the final electoral roll in West Bengal by one week to February 21. The apex court issued a notice to the DGP of West Bengal during the hearing on the Special Investigation Report (SIR). The Supreme Court also directed the West Bengal DGP to file a personal affidavit. The Supreme Court issued a show-cause notice to the West Bengal DGP, seeking a response to complaints of intimidation and violence against officials engaged in SIR duties on behalf of the Election



Commission.

During the hearing on the West Bengal Special Investigation Report (SIR), the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant made it clear that the Supreme Court would not permit any obstruction in the SIR process. He stated that orders would be issued wherever improvements were required, but emphasized that no hurdles would be allowed.

“All states should understand this,” the CJI remarked.

The CJI also observed that had the list of officers been submitted by February 5, the Election Commission of India (ECI) would have already taken a decision.