The poll panel filed an SC appeal after an election affidavit omitted Bengal's Statewise Information Return, seeking clarification amid 38.20 lakh appeals.

The Election Commission has come under intense scrutiny after a crucial detail was omitted from its affidavit: the break‑up of the Statewise Information Return (SIR) for Bengal. The oversight has prompted the poll panel to file an appeal with the Supreme Court, seeking clarification and corrective action.

Scale of the backlog

According to the poll panel’s filing, a staggering 38.20 lakh appeals have been recorded across the nation since the last general election. Of those, only 1.02 lakh appeals have been disposed of, leaving the vast majority unresolved. The panel argues that the missing SIR data hampers the Commission’s ability to assess the legitimacy of the appeals and undermines public confidence in the electoral process.

Why Bengal matters

Bengal, a politically pivotal state, accounts for a significant share of the pending appeals. The absence of a detailed SIR breakdown prevents analysts and officials from pinpointing regional patterns of dispute, such as allegations of vote‑count irregularities or candidate disqualifications. The poll panel insists that a transparent, state‑wise ledger is essential for a fair adjudication of the pending cases.

Legal move to the Supreme Court

The poll panel’s petition to the Supreme Court seeks an order compelling the Election Commission to file a revised affidavit that includes the missing Bengal data. It also requests the Court’s guidance on expediting the disposal of the backlog, arguing that prolonged delays could erode voter trust ahead of upcoming state elections.

Potential impact

If the Supreme Court grants the petition, the Election Commission will be mandated to submit a comprehensive SIR breakdown, likely triggering a renewed review of pending appeals. Legal experts suggest that a swift ruling could set a precedent for greater transparency in future electoral cycles, while also relieving pressure on the judiciary, which is already burdened with a high volume of election‑related cases.

Stakeholders, including political parties and civil‑society watchdogs, have welcomed the poll panel’s initiative, emphasizing that accountability is vital for the health of India’s democracy. The Supreme Court’s decision, expected later this year, will be closely watched as a barometer of institutional responsiveness to electoral grievances.