As of May 2026, former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam resigned from a special Appellate Tribunal tasked with reviewing voter list deletions (SIR) in West Bengal, citing personal reasons. He noted that, at current speeds, the tribunal would require four years to clear pending appeals, highlighting significant bottlenecks in the digital review process. [1, 2]
Tribunal Justice Updates (May 2026)
- SIR Tribunal Resignation: Justice Sivagnanam cleared 1,777 appeals in 22 days before resigning. He was part of a 19-member tribunal of retired judges appointed by the Supreme Court.
- Case Pendency: Despite active efforts, over one lakh (100,000+) appeals remained pending, raising concerns about the pace of resolution.
- Technical Challenges: Justice Sivagnanam noted that while technical support was good, not all retired judges were comfortable with e-court proceedings.
- Significant Cases: The tribunal handled high-profile cases, including restoring the voting rights of Suprabuddha Sen (grandson of painter Nandalal Bose). [1, 2, 3]
Key Judicial Institutions in Kolkata
- Calcutta High Court: The oldest High Court in India (established 1862), with jurisdiction over West Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- City Civil Court, Calcutta: Established in 1957 to handle civil cases and relieve the High Court.
- Presidency Small Cause Court: Governed by the 1882 Act, managing smaller pecuniary disputes. [4, 5, 6]
Note: Justice Sujoy Paul took oath as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court in January 2026. [7]
AI responses may include mistakes.
[4] https://www.calcuttahighcourt.gov.in/
[5] https://citycivilcourtcalcutta.dcourts.gov.in/