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Mamata Banerjee’s Supreme Court Challenge to Electoral Roll Revision Explained West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to create constitutional history by potentially becoming the first sitting Chief Minister to personally argue her own case before the Supreme Court of India . Her petition challenges the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections , escalating an already intense institutional confrontation. At the heart of the dispute lies a fundamental constitutional question: Can electoral roll verification, in the name of purity of elections, risk mass disenfranchisement of genuine voters? Background: What Is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)? The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an extraordinary electoral exercise undertaken by the ECI to comprehensively verify voter rolls, particularly focusing on: • Duplicate entries • Bogus voters • Ineligible inclusions • Discrepa...

Introduction In a decisive intervention aimed at ending prolonged democratic paralysis, the Supreme Court of India has fixed June 30, 2026 as the outer and non-extendable deadline for completing civic elections in Bengaluru. The ruling brings much-needed clarity and finality to elections for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the newly created municipal corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA) , which have remained without elected representatives since 2020. Supreme Court’s Directions and Timelines A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued binding directions to the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to adhere strictly to a phased election schedule. Key Deadlines Set by the Court February 20, 2026 : Final publication of ward-wise reservation March 16, 2026 : Publication of final electoral rolls Post-May 26, 2026 : Polling to be conducted after completion of board examinations June 3...

Background of the Dispute A significant constitutional challenge relating to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections has reached the Supreme Court of India , days before polling scheduled for January 15 . A Mumbai-based businessman, Mozam Ali Mir , has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging the Bombay High Court’s dismissal of his Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which alleged mass, arbitrary, and unconstitutional rejection of nomination forms across Mumbai’s 227 electoral wards. The Supreme Court has listed the matter for urgent hearing on Tuesday , barely two days before the elections, underlining the gravity of the allegations and the potential impact on electoral democracy. The Petitioner and Nature of the Challenge Mir’s PIL, originally filed before the Bombay High Court on January 5 , raised concerns about the sanctity of free and fair municipal elections , claiming that returning officers systematically rejected nominations on hyper-technical and no...

Background: Centre–State Clash Escalates to the Apex Court The long-running confrontation between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC)–led West Bengal government has now reached the Supreme Court of India , marking a significant escalation in a politically sensitive dispute ahead of state elections. The ED has approached the apex court by filing a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution , alleging that its lawful investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) was deliberately obstructed by the West Bengal state machinery, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee . ED’s Allegations: “Unprecedented Interference” in Central Investigation According to the ED’s petition, the controversy stems from search operations conducted on Thursday at multiple locations linked to political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) , including: The Kolkata office of I-PAC in Salt Lake The residence of I-PAC director Pr...

The Supreme Court of India has once again turned its attention to the contentious issue of reservation in Maharashtra’s local bodies. During a hearing on a contempt petition, the Court directed the State to provide a complete list of all local bodies where the total reservation—covering Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC)—exceeds the 50% constitutional ceiling. This order comes amid preparations for upcoming elections and ongoing disputes about the implementation of the Court’s earlier directions, particularly the 2021 “triple test” requirement. Background: Contempt Petition and the 2021 Triple Test Judgment The current proceedings arise from a contempt petition alleging that Maharashtra failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling. That judgment mandated that any OBC reservation in local bodies must satisfy a three-step test , now widely known as the "triple test": Establish a dedicated commission to conduct a conte...

Delhi Court Declines Cognizance in Case Against AAP Leader Somnath Bharti Introduction In a significant ruling, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has declined to take cognizance of the charge sheet filed against AAP leader Somnath Bharti and another accused under Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act). The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to establish a criminal offense, thereby dismissing the prosecution’s case. This decision comes after an FIR was registered at the South Campus Police Station in May 2024, alleging that Bharti and his associates entered polling locations and recorded poll procedures during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections . Background of the Case FIR & Allegations 🔹 The FIR was lodged based on two complaints from Presiding Officers of Polling Stations-12 & 14 , who alleged that: ✔️ Somnath Bharti and his supporters entered the polling locations while hiding their mobile phones. ✔️ An accused, Anshul , vid...