In six months since its launch, 19 tribunals have processed 1.02 lakh of the appeals filed in West Bengal during the SIR exercise—leaving 37.18 lakh still queued.
ECI’s affidavit, filed on May 27, 2026, revealed that 93% of the 1.26 lakh appeals decided to date resulted in voters being re‑included, while 8,649 who lost their appeal will be removed from the rolls.
TMC MP Derek O Brien, through SC advocate Neha Rathi, petitioned the Supreme Court on May 25, 2026, accusing the ECI of issuing informal, extra‑statutory directions—such as WhatsApp messages—to booth‑level officers instead of formal written orders.
The Court is slated to hear the petition next month; if it grants the ECI’s request, the number of appellate tribunals could rise from 19 to 42, aligning with the state’s parliamentary constituencies and dramatically accelerating the disposal of pending appeals.