The Calcutta High Court has directed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Appellate Tribunal to expeditiously consider an appeal filed by Hajj pilgrims whose names were deleted from the electoral roll, after they approached the Court seeking relief to enable them to obtain passports and visas for their pilgrimage.

Justice Krishna Rao directed the Appellate Tribunal to decide the matter within two weeks after noting that the petitioners had already preferred an appeal before the Tribunal and had sought a hearing in the matter.

State submitted that the appeal would be considered by the SIR Appellate Tribunal in accordance with law if approached by the petitioner.

Taking note of the submission, the Court directed the Tribunal to consider and decide the petitioners' appeal expeditiously, preferably within a period of two weeks.

The petitioners had approached the High Court in connection with the deletion of their names from the electoral roll during the SIR exercise. They submitted that the deletion was causing difficulties in obtaining the necessary passport and visa for undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage.