New Delhi: Calcutta HC holds the key to whether around 45 lakh ‘doubtful voters’ will be able to participate in the Bengal Assembly elections or not – their cases are being decided by judicial authorities in line with the SC’s February directions. According to the report, out of 60 lakh ‘doubtful voter’ cases, verdict has been given so far in 15 lakh cases. CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday said “learned judges” acting as per the directions of the High Court will put up a supplementary list of names approved for inclusion in the state electoral roll, after which the Election Commission will add them back to the final list. The added voters will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections in the state.

Praising the SIR and calling it a “huge democratic exercise”, Kumar said it had provided a pure voter list, in line with Article 326, the “foundation of democracy”. However, an Election Commission official said the rules required freezing the voter list on the nomination deadline, with additions being allowed up to 10 days before that, with the remaining period left for possible appeals. There is a provision for a two-point appeal process against final roll entries, the first point being the District Magistrate and the second and last, the Chief Electoral Officer of the concerned State or Union Territory. This means that the roll freeze may be imposed on March 27 in respect of 152 assembly constituencies of Bengal that went to polls in the first phase on April 23 and on April 1 for the 142 seats scheduled for polling on April 29.