The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Election Commission to respond within two weeks on petitions filed against the revision of voter rolls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, Live Law reported.

The order came days after the Election Commission began the enumeration phase of the exercise in 12 states and Union Territories on November 4.

The revision was announced by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 27. The 12 states and Union Territories include Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, where Assembly elections are due in 2026.

The draft rolls will be published on December 9, and the final list on February 7, 2026.

Several petitions have been filed in the two states against the exercise over concerns that the special intensive revision of voter rolls could disenfranchise eligible voters.

On Tuesday, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed the High Courts to keep in abeyance the petitions filed in relation to the exercise in the two petitioner states and also in Bihar.

The voter list revision in Bihar was announced by the poll panel in June and completed ahead of the Assembly elections in November. In the final electoral roll published on September 30, at least 47 lakh voters were excluded.

Several petitions had been filed against the voter roll revision in Bihar as well. However, the Election Commission continued with the exercise since the court did not impose a stay on it.

On September 8, the court directed the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar as valid identity proof for the revision in Bihar.

Aadhaar had not been among the 11 documents the poll panel had allowed as proof of citizenship. Petitioners had called its exclusion “absurd”, noting that it was the most widely held form of identification.

The Election Commission has repeatedly defended the revision as a clean-up effort to remove names of the deceased, duplicate entries and undocumented migrants.

In Tamil Nadu, the exercise has been challenged by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, as well as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Congress MLA K Selvaperunthagai. The exercise in West Bengal has been questioned by the state unit of Congress and Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen, Live Law reported.

On Tuesday, Justice Kant asked the petitioners why they were so apprehensive about the exercise, Bar and Bench reported.

The court also noted that if the bench was satisfied with the reasoning provided, it would annul the exercise.

Advocate Kapil Sabil, appearing for the petitioners, alleged that the exercise was being undertaken in a hurry.

“This never used to happen before,” Bar and Bench quoted Sibal as saying. “It took three years earlier. Now they [Election Commission] are saying one month. Ultimately, lakhs of people are going to excluded.”

The Supreme Court will hear the matter next on November 26.

📰 Crime Today News is proudly sponsored by DRYFRUIT & CO – A Brand by eFabby Global LLC

Design & Developed by Yes Mom Hosting