Retired Calcutta High Court judge Indrajit Chatterjee has sought to resign from West Bengal’s tribunal dealing with Special Intensive Revision (SIR)-related matters, citing the difficulty of travelling daily from his home in Salt Lake to the tribunal at Joka through severely damaged roads.
Chatterjee has written to the office of the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court about his decision, according to a report by Anandabazar – West Bengal. The judge has said that the long and difficult journey is making it impossible for him to continue handling the tribunal’s responsibilities for an extended period.
The tribunal has become a key administrative and legal forum amid the continuing controversy around the SIR process. Questions have also been raised about the number of applications pending before it and the time required for their disposal. Any reduction in the tribunal’s judicial strength could add to concerns about delays, particularly as some stakeholders have called for more judges to be appointed to speed up the process.
Chatterjee’s account highlights the operational problem created by the tribunal’s location at Joka. Sources cited in the report said that travelling from the judge’s residence to Joka, even with a pilot car, takes about one and a half hours. The return journey can sometimes take longer. The road leading to Joka was described as being in poor condition.
The judge reportedly told the High Court that he had initially expected the process to last only two or three months. He said he had been prepared to endure the travel difficulties while carrying out the assignment, but that continuing the journey for a prolonged period was not feasible.
Chatterjee has also indicated that he would be willing to continue if he were given an office closer to his residence or allowed to work from home. Without one of those arrangements, he has said he would no longer be able to manage the responsibility.
The development follows the earlier resignation of former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam from the tribunal, according to the report. The possible departure of another judge comes at a time when the tribunal’s workload and the speed of disposal are already under public discussion.
The case places the condition of the road network leading to Joka alongside the tribunal’s institutional capacity. While the immediate issue is the judge’s ability to travel, the reported delay in reaching the tribunal also raises questions about how the location and transport conditions affect the functioning of a public institution. The final decision on Chatterjee’s request, as well as any alternative arrangement for his work, will rest with the High Court.
