Court mandates West Bengal State Election Commission to address grievances on electoral rolls within a week.
In a significant judgment delivered on December 24, 2025, the Calcutta High Court has directed the Chief Electoral Officer of the West Bengal State Election Commission to promptly address a representation submitted by petitioner Arijit Bakshi regarding the alleged acceptance of invalid Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates for claims in the electoral rolls. Justice Krishna Rao presided over the case, resulting in the writ petition being disposed of with explicit instructions for timely action.
The petitioner, Arijit Bakshi, had initially approached the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal State Election Commission, on December 4, 2025. His representation sought the issuance of guidelines to prevent the acceptance of invalid OBC certificates during the revision of the electoral rolls in West Bengal. Despite the urgency highlighted in the representation, Bakshi claimed no action had been taken by the authorities, prompting the filing of the writ petition.
Senior Advocate Mr. Billwadal Bhattacharyya and Mr. Manabendra Nath Bandyopadhyay represented Bakshi, emphasizing the necessity for immediate intervention to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls. On the other side, Ms. Anamika Pandey, representing the Election Commission of India, noted that the validity of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was under consideration by the Supreme Court, suggesting constraints in issuing directives at the current juncture.
Justice Rao, after hearing both parties, concluded that the petitioner was not challenging the procedures of the SIR but was solely concerned about the non-consideration of his representation. The court determined that keeping the writ petition pending would serve no purpose and mandated the Chief Electoral Officer to review Bakshi's representation and issue a reasoned speaking order within one week from the court's directive. This order aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process, addressing the concerns raised by Bakshi.
The judgment underscores the importance of expedient administrative action in electoral matters, especially when procedural anomalies, such as the acceptance of invalid certifications, are alleged. The court's decision is expected to facilitate the resolution of Bakshi's concerns and potentially set a precedent for addressing similar grievances in electoral processes.
The court also ordered that an urgent photostat certified copy of the judgment be provided to the parties upon compliance with requisite formalities, ensuring all involved are promptly informed of the court's directives.
Bottom Line:
Writ petition disposed of with direction to the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal State Election Commission, to consider the representation submitted by the petitioner and pass a reasoned order within a stipulated time frame
Statutory provision(s): Representation to Election Commission.
Arijit Bakshi v. Election Commission of India, (Calcutta) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2827096
