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SC Invokes Article 142 to Deploy Judges from Jharkhand & Odisha for 50 Lakh Voter Roll Cases in West Bengal SIR

PolityHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
24 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:50 lakh casesArticle 142February 28, 2026February 14, 2026250 judicial officers
Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaElection Commission of IndiaCalcutta High CourtJharkhand High CourtOdisha High Court
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What This Article Covers

1.The Supreme Court permitted deployment of judges from Odisha and Jharkhand to help clear 50 lakh logical discrepancy/unmapped voter cases in West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

2.The Court invoked Article 142 to ensure voters cleared in supplementary lists are deemed part of the final electoral roll published on February 28, 2026.

3.This intervention highlights judicial oversight of the electoral process and aims to bridge the 'trust deficit' between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission of India.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The Supreme Court has invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 to address a massive backlog in West Bengal's electoral roll revision. It has allowed the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice to deploy judicial officers from Odisha and Jharkhand to adjudicate 50 lakh voter discrepancy cases before the final roll publication deadline of February 28, 2026.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Total Cases Pending50 lakh (logical discrepancy/unmapped voter cases)
Key Constitutional Power UsedArticle 142 of the Constitution
Final Roll Publication DateFebruary 28, 2026
Cut-off Date for Document SubmissionFebruary 14, 2026
Judicial Officers Available250

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Total Cases Pending: 50 lakh (logical discrepancy/unmapped voter cases)
  • ›Key Constitutional Power Used: Article 142 of the Constitution
  • ›Target this Data: 50 lakh logical discrepancy/unmapped voter cases in West Bengal SIR.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Supreme Court of India (invoking Article 142) and Election Commission of India (conducting SIR).
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Article 142 of the Constitution (power to do complete justice).

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which constitutional article, invoked by the Supreme Court in this case, grants it the power to pass any order necessary for doing 'complete justice'?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's order on West Bengal's electoral roll revision:

1. The Supreme Court allowed the deployment of judicial officers from Odisha and Jharkhand to adjudicate claims and objections.

2. The Court directed that the final electoral roll must be published by February 14, 2026.

3. The Court invoked its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution for this order.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news, how many voter cases with 'logical discrepancies' or 'unmapped categories' were pending adjudication in the West Bengal SIR?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was the primary rationale behind the Supreme Court's intervention in the West Bengal SIR process, as indicated in the article?

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