West Bengal SIR Judges Likely to Get Digital Signatures Within Five Days, Ending Month-Long Aadhaar Login Standoff

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to provide digital signatures to appellate tribunal judges handling the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal within the next five days. The move is expected to resolve a month-long standoff between the judges and the Election Commission over Aadhaar-based authentication requirements on the tribunal's online portal.

The proposed digital signature system will allow judges to access the portal and upload their judicial orders without using their personal Aadhaar credentials. The development could help restart the disposal of thousands of pending appeals concerning voter inclusion and exclusion in West Bengal.

Judges Objected to Aadhaar-Based Login Requirements

The dispute began after the Election Commission introduced a new portal on September 21, 2026, requiring appellate tribunal judges to use Aadhaar authentication to upload their decisions.

The judges objected to sharing their personal Aadhaar details, arguing that the requirement interfered with their independence as quasi-judicial authorities.

They also raised concerns about restrictions on the documents that could be considered while deciding electoral roll appeals.

As a result, judges stopped uploading their orders to the portal, creating a major delay in the adjudication process. No tribunal orders had been uploaded since September 21.

Election Commission Plans Digital Signature Solution

Following discussions with tribunal judges, the Election Commission has agreed to introduce digital signature certificates as an alternative to Aadhaar-based authentication.

According to reports, the digital signatures are expected to become available within five days.

The Election Commission has also introduced additional changes to the tribunal portal to make the appeal process more efficient.

These include:

• Allowing judges to upload multiple orders in bulk instead of uploading them individually.

• Enabling judges to save orders as drafts before issuing final decisions.

• Allowing additional supporting documents under a new category called "Any Other Document".

• Considering the relocation of tribunal offices to more accessible locations.

These changes are intended to reduce procedural difficulties and allow judges greater flexibility while deciding appeals.

Retired Judge Indrajit Chatterjee Resumes Work

Retired Calcutta High Court judge Indrajit Chatterjee, who was hearing appeals related to Murshidabad, has agreed to continue his work.

He had earlier indicated that he might step down because of the long daily commute and poor road conditions near Joka in South Kolkata.

However, following assurances from the Election Commission regarding improvements to the tribunal system, he resumed hearing appeals.

The Election Commission is also considering relocating some tribunals closer to Kolkata to make their functioning more convenient.

Millions of SIR Appeals Await Decisions

West Bengal has 19 appellate tribunals established to handle disputes arising from the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

According to figures cited in the Economic Times report, 17 tribunals had disposed of 1,26,194 cases, while approximately 37,05,235 appeals remained pending as of September 17, 2026.

Two tribunal positions were also vacant following the resignation of judges.

The month-long technical and procedural dispute further complicated the already challenging process of deciding voter-list appeals.

Political and Electoral Significance

The development is important for West Bengal's electoral administration because the SIR process has become a major political and legal issue.

The Election Commission has maintained that the revision exercise is necessary to ensure accurate electoral rolls. However, questions over documentation requirements, voter exclusions and the independence of appellate tribunals have attracted considerable attention.

The introduction of digital signatures could help restore the functioning of the tribunals and accelerate decisions on pending appeals.

Conclusion

The Election Commission's decision to introduce digital signatures for West Bengal's SIR appellate tribunal judges marks an important step towards resolving the month-long standoff over Aadhaar authentication.

With millions of appeals awaiting adjudication, the proposed changes could improve the tribunal system and help judges resume uploading their decisions. The effective implementation of these changes will be crucial to ensuring that voter-related appeals are handled without further delays.