'Don't Make Excuses And Stall Everything': SC On Objections On ECI's Training To Judicial Officers In West Bengal
A bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made it clear that the poll panel's training module cannot override its orders.
By Sumit Saxena
Published : February 27, 2026 at 12:19 PM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said it cannot entertain everyday objections to the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, stressing that petitioners must refrain from making excuses to stall the exercise and that "there has to be an end to it."
The top court made this observation while refusing to entertain objections raised by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to the Election Commission of India (ECI) imparting training to judicial officers deployed for claims verification in the SIR process. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made it clear that the poll panel’s training module cannot override its orders, and that judicial officers must be trusted.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Kalyan Banerjee represented the petitioners, and senior advocate D S Naidu represented the ECI. The petitioners' counsel orally mentioned the matter before the bench led by the CJI.
Sibal said they issued directions to the judicial officers and issued a training module stating what they should accept and what they should not accept. The CJI asked, "How does it matter? Judicial officers will take a call".
Sibal stressed that the ECI gave them directions about what certificate to accept and what not to accept without referring to the chief justice. The CJI replied, "do not doubt the judicial officers."
Sibal said it is a training module for judicial officers issued by the ECI and added, "But if they say do not accept the domicile certificate for which students get admission to the universities."
The bench said you have a right to say that documents should be accepted, and the judicial officer will decide. "But the chief justice will decide that is what your lordships said. Kindly see the February 20, 2026 order. Chief justice will decide the modalities", said Sibal. The bench said the judicial officer will decide.
The bench said the chief justice will decide the modalities and modalities mean the arrangements for this entire process that has to be undertaken. "Please do not make little excuses and stall everything….we can't hear like this. Every day, there has to be an end to it. We went beyond our imagination. There has to be an end (to it)," CJI told Sibal, who insisted that there should be fairness in the system.
The CJI said they know their judicial officers, and they are not to be influenced by anything. "Mr Sibal, you argue case before us. They (ECI) argue its case before us. Decision we take", said the CJI.
Sibal said, "Correct, but they cannot get instructions from the ECI not to accept this certificate," and urged the bench to say that the judicial officers are not bound by these instructions.
Banerjee said in Kolkata, the judicial officers are being given training by the ECI. Justice Bagchi asked, "Who else will give the training?" The bench said they are being trained by the ECI to understand the modalities of document verification. Justice Bagchi said, "We have made it very clear what documents are to be looked into. Our orders are as clear as daylight…".
Sibal said he does not want to muddy the waters by bringing irrelevant issues and asked the bench to allow him to explain the issue, adding, "They are saying domicile certificate issued by SDO should not be accepted".
Justice Bagchi said if the ECI's SIR notification and the supplementary orders passed by the court include such a certificate, it will be looked into, and if not, it will not be looked into. The CJI said our judicial officers understand our orders and "we gave them completely alien responsibility for which they have never been trained in judicial academy…".
Justice Bagchi said both the petitioners and the ECI must ensure a congenial atmosphere for the judges to work. "Ask the chief secretary to work in tandem with judicial (officer) and as well as the special observer", said Justice Bagchi.
The CJI said, "My brother rightly pointed out that we should even mention the documents which are required to be believed. Because we thought we would not leave any grey area. Nobody will go beyond that order whether Chief Election Commissioner or the state government". Justice Bagchi said regarding the extent we have gone, "we have evacuated the state judiciary".
The CJI said do not carry any apprehension and let them do their work. Sibal said, "Uninfluenced by all this." The bench said, "Absolutely."
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