Supreme Court asks Tribunal hearing appeals against Bengal SIR deletions to expedite lawyer’s case

2 min readNew DelhiJun 19, 2026 06:37 PM IST

The Tribunal was hearing appeals against removal of names from the voters’ list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.(File Photo)

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Tribunal hearing appeals against removal of names from the voters’ list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal to decide expeditiously the case of an advocate who said he had been deleted from the list.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana asked the Tribunal to decide his appeal preferably within two months.

The plea by Md. Yean Ali said he is a lawyer hailing from Murshidabad and was enrolled with the state Bar Council in 1977. He said his appeal under the Representation of the People Act-1950 was yet to be heard.

The counsel appearing for Ali pointed out that the appeal has been pending since March 27, 2026. He said Ali has been practising as an advocate for over 50 years and has also been voting all along and no one had disputed his status.

The court remarked that it had already put in place a mechanism comprising former High Court judges to adjudicate claims of deletion and the petitioner should approach it.

“Prima facie we are agreeing with you that you appear to be a genuine bonafide… citizen… bonafide resident of West Bengal… But you know the mechanism we have created. Former High Court Chief Justice and retired judges are there in the Tribunal,” CJI Kant said.

The CJI added he had received a communication from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday night seeking more time to dispose of the large number of pending appeals.

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“Yesterday night only I received a letter communication from the Chief of the High Court that there are so many appeals and the time is required to be extended. So, in your case, we are passing an order directing them to provide you out of turn hearing and decide your matter,” the CJI said.