SC asks Calcutta HC to examine retired judge's security plea

The Supreme Court requested the Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice to review a retired judge's plea for security. The judge, heading a West Bengal election appellate tribunal, cited the nature of her duties related to electoral roll revisions.

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to examine a retired judge's plea seeking security while discharging her duties as the head of an election appellate tribunal constituted to hear disputes arising from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohan, did not pass any direct order on the request but asked the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to consider the issue and take appropriate measures. CJI said, "We request the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to look into the matter and take such necessary steps as may be required."

Judge's Plea for Security

Retired judge Ananya Kanti Roy Saraswati moved the apex court seeking security arrangements to enable her to discharge her duties, citing the nature of the responsibilities entrusted to the tribunal while adjudicating appeals relating to the revision of electoral rolls.

Background of the Appellate Tribunals

Saraswati is among the retired judges appointed to preside over election appellate tribunals created pursuant to the Supreme Court's directions for resolving challenges arising from the SIR process. Earlier, the top court had ordered the creation of a dedicated appellate mechanism to hear objections relating to the inclusion or deletion of voters' names ahead of the State Assembly elections and had directed the Calcutta High Court to facilitate the process by deploying judicial officers and retired judges to these tribunals.

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