Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Bengal Tribunal Judges Say EC Portal Delays Voter Appeals
Some people in West Bengal appealed after their names were removed from or added to voter lists.
Judges were asked to consider these appeals using an Election Commission website.
The judges said the website was missing important tools.
They said it could not properly send notices, collect extra documents or hold online hearings.
It also did not let judges restore some appeals or give people copies of decisions.
Paper appeals were not always properly added to the online system.
The judges warned that these problems could make it harder for people to get a fair decision.
The Election Commission reported that many appeals had been filed, but far fewer had been decided by September 10.
More than a dozen judges on West Bengal’s 19 appellate tribunals said the Election Commission’s portal lacked tools needed to process voter-roll appeals.
They reported problems serving notices, collecting additional documents, holding virtual hearings, restoring disposed appeals and providing copies of orders.
The judges also said appeals filed on paper were not properly digitised or tracked, warning that affected voters could face injustice.
Their concerns were recorded in meeting minutes dated August 11 and conveyed to the Election Commission of India and the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
The Election Commission reported 38.31 lakh appeals filed and 1.26 lakh disposed of by September 10; a separate report cited figures of about 38.2 lakh and 1.2 lakh.
- Who
- Judges serving on West Bengal’s appellate tribunals and people appealing decisions about voter-roll entries.
- What
- Tribunal judges said shortcomings in the Election Commission’s portal were impeding the handling and disposal of appeals.
- When
- The judges’ concerns were recorded on August 11; the Election Commission’s reported disposal figures were as of September 10.
- Where
- West Bengal, India.
- Why
- The judges said the portal lacked functions for notices, documents, hearings, appeal restoration and order copies, while physical appeals were not properly digitised.
- Tribunals
- The Election Commission notified 19 single-member appellate tribunals on March 20.
- Judges’ concerns
- More than a dozen tribunal judges raised the portal issues in meeting minutes dated August 11.
- Appeals filed
- The Election Commission reported 38.31 lakh appeals; another report described the total as about 38.2 lakh.
- Appeals disposed of
- The Election Commission said 1.26 lakh had been disposed of by September 10; another report cited about 1.2 lakh.
- Appeals by deleted voters
- The Election Commission said 22.21 lakh appeals were filed by voters whose names had been deleted.
- Appeals against inclusions
- The Election Commission said 16.10 lakh appeals were filed against voter inclusions.
- Physical appeals
- The Supreme Court said appeals could be filed physically with designated local officials, who were to ensure digitisation and uploading.
