West Bengal SIR | Class 10 Admit Card Will Have To Be Accepted : Supreme Court Tells Election Commission

In relation to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Monday orally observed that the Class 10 admit card issued by the State Board must be accepted as a document for enumeration.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing the petitions concerning the WB SIR.

Senior Advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing certain petitioners from the Trinamool Congress, submitted that the ECI was not accepting the Class 10 (madhyamik) admit card. Justice Bagchi asked how the ECI can refuse it, when it is mentioned in the SIR press release as one of the documents which can be given for enumeration.

Banerjee submitted that ECI is saying they will accept only the Class 10 result card; however, the date of birth is mentioned only in the admit card.

"Admit card issued by the Board has a presumption, if it is given, it has to be accepted," Justice Bagchi said.

Justice Datta also orally said that the Class 10 admit card will have to be accepted, as the result card does not have the date of birth. "The West Bengal State Board of Education marks the date of birth in the admit card. Not in the pass certificate. If you insist only for the pass certificate, that will not bear the date of birth. For that you will have to allow the admit card," Justice Datta said.

Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, for the ECI, submitted that the petitioners have not stated these submissions in their written pleadings. Banerjee refuted this argument and pointed out the averments in the petition. He also referred to a press release issued by the ECI stating that admit cards will not be accepted.

Dwivedi then said that he will examine the issue and will get back after taking instructions from the poll body.

Also from today's hearing - WB SIR | Supreme Court Issues Directions To ECI To Ensure Transparent Verification Of Persons In 'Logical Discrepency' List