Why Former Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam Resigned from SIR Tribunal Right After Bengal Poll Results

Kolkata: Following the declaration of the results of the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, TS Sivagnanam—the head of the Special Appellate Tribunal (tasked with hearing cases related to the removal of names from the voter list) and a former Chief Justice of the Kolkata High Court—has resigned from his position.

The most pressing question remains: what exactly transpired after the election results were announced that prompted Justice Sivagnanam to decide to relinquish such a crucial responsibility? Although he cited “personal reasons” In his resignation letter, the timing of this decision has fueled further speculation and discussion surrounding the entire matter.

The Tribunal Was Constituted on the Orders of the Supreme Court

According to reports, TS Sivagnanam was leading a three-member special panel that had been constituted under the directives of the Supreme Court. The mandate of this tribunal (the SIR Tribunal) was to oversee appeals filed by individuals whose names had been removed from the voter list during the Special Intensive Revision process.

During the election period, a significant number of people alleged that their names had been struck off the voter list without adequate justification. This issue had rendered the electoral atmosphere particularly sensitive. In such a context, the role of the tribunal was considered to be of paramount importance.

Political analysts observe that the act of resigning immediately after the conclusion of the elections and the announcement of the results has given rise to various speculations. However, no political party has, as yet, openly commented on this matter.

Election Commission Also Removes Two Senior Officials

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has also relieved two Special Observers, who were deployed in West Bengal, from their respective duties. These include Special Election Observer Subrata Gupta and Special Police Observer NK Mishra.

Both officials were appointed for the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections. It is widely believed that these officials played a pivotal role in ensuring a relatively peaceful election process in the state. This time, the voter turnout was quite impressive, and compared to previous elections, incidents of violence were notably fewer.

However, following the removal of these officials and the resignation of TS Sivagnanam, opposition parties have begun raising questions.

Who is former Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam?

Justice TS Sivagnanam was born on September 16, 1963. He completed his B.Sc. from Loyola College, Chennai, and subsequently obtained his law degree from Madras Law College. He enrolled with the Tamil Nadu Bar Council on September 10, 1986, and commenced his legal career at the chambers of Senior Advocate R. Gandhi.

Over the course of his long career, he discharged several significant responsibilities. In the year 2000, he was appointed as the Additional Central Government Standing Counsel. Subsequently, he served as a Senior Panel Counsel for various institutions, including Southern Railway, the Central Government, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the Department of Customs and Central Excise.

He also appeared on behalf of the Revenue Department before major judicial forums such as CEGAT and CESTAT. In 2007, the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court designated him as the Panel Counsel to represent the Registrar General and judicial officers. Within the legal fraternity, he has established a reputation as a firm yet impartial judge.