New Delhi, Jan. 13 -- The Supreme Court on Monday sought the response of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to applications filed by Trinamool Congress leaders seeking an extension of the January 15 deadline for submission of claims and objections over 5.8 million voters deleted from the draft roll following the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in the poll-bound state.

Considering the urgency in the matter, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the ECI to furnish its response within a week and posted the matter for hearing on January 19.

The applications were filed by TMC MPs Derek O Brien and Dola Sen in their pending petitions challenging the SIR in the state. They accused...