The Supreme Court of India has permitted the temporary deployment of judges from Odisha and Jharkhand to assist in the Special Investigation Review (SIR) process in West Bengal, after observing that the task would take nearly 80 days if handled only by judges from Bengal.
The apex court noted that limiting the exercise to local judicial officers could significantly delay proceedings due to workload constraints and the volume of cases involved. To ensure timely completion of the review, the court approved the proposal to draw additional judicial resources from neighboring states.
The bench observed that the deployment would be temporary and carried out in coordination with the Chief Justices of the concerned High Courts. It emphasized that the arrangement should not disrupt regular judicial work in Odisha and Jharkhand and that the process must remain transparent and impartial.
The court further underlined the importance of completing the SIR exercise within a reasonable timeframe, stating that prolonged delays could undermine public trust in the justice delivery system. It added that balanced distribution of judicial manpower was necessary to meet exceptional administrative and legal demands.
Legal observers say the decision reflects the judiciary’s practical approach in managing uneven workloads across states, while also reinforcing the principle of timely justice. The Supreme Court is expected to monitor the progress of the exercise and review the arrangement if required.
