SIR Appellate Tribunal Faces New Setback: Justice Tapan Sen Resigns Citing Age, Infrastructure

• Retired Justice Tapan Sen has resigned from the SIR Appellate Tribunal, sending his resignation letter to the High Court administration.
• Justice Sen, a Jharkhand resident, cited age-related reasons and infrastructural problems in Kolkata as his inability to continue.
• His departure reduces the tribunal's strength from 19 to 18 judges, prompting the High Court to seek an alternative.
• The tribunals, comprising retired judges, were formed to hear appeals against exclusions from the SIR voter list.
• Notable figures like former Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam are part of the 19 tribunals assigned to 23 districts.

Key Questions Answered

Will Justice Tapan Sen's resignation impact the tribunal's work?

Justice Tapan Sen's resignation reduces the tribunal's strength to 18 judges. The High Court administration is seeking a replacement.

Who will replace Justice Tapan Sen in the tribunal?

The Kolkata High Court administration is currently searching for an alternative retired judge to replace Justice Tapan Sen.

How will voter list appeals be handled now?

Appeals for voter list omissions will be handled by special tribunals. These tribunals, led by retired judges, were formed following a Supreme Court directive.