New Delhi, April 17 -- The Supreme Court has ordered that persons cleared by appellate tribunals for inclusion in electoral rolls at least two days before polling will be entitled to vote in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, significantly relaxing the earlier freeze on voter lists and offering relief to many caught in the ongoing special intensive revision exercise. Invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to give effect to appellate orders by issuing supplementary revised electoral rolls ahead of polling dates. It noted that the state goes to polls in two phases - on April 23 and 29 - and therefore, it is imperative that those declared eligible to vote by the appellate tribunals must exercise their adult franchise in the upcoming polls. "We, therefore, invoke our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India and direct the ECI that, wherever the appellate tribunals are able to decide the appeals by 21.04.2026 or 27.04.2026, as the case may be, such appellate orders shall be given effect to by issuing a supplementary revised electoral roll, and all necessary consequences with respect to the right to vote shall follow," it ordered. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said it was not immediately clear how many people have been cleared by the 19 tribunals set up in the state to hear the appeals of people who were rejected by judicial officers during adjudication....