Monday's Supreme Court directives on the Bengal special intensive revision (SIR) case had both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP claiming vindication.

While Trinamool claimed that the apex court had delivered a “stinging rebuke” to the Election Commission, the BJP said the judgment had dealt a setback to the ruling dispensation in Bengal, which had allegedly attempted to stall the SIR process.

"In unequivocal terms, the Court has ordered that micro-observers can only assist EROs/AEROs, and that final authority rests solely with EROs. Further, the Court has directed that 8,505 Bengal officials be tagged to EROs to support the SIR process," the official X handle of Trinamool posted.

"This blows apart the ECI’s unilateral move to parachute micro-observers exclusively into Bengal, to INFLUENCE, INTIMIDATE, and MANIPULATE the process. BJP loyalists were being handed back-end access to voter databases to delete genuine voters. That CONSTITUTIONAL VANDALISM has now been struck down by the highest court of the land," it added, before claiming that the verdict was a victory for democracy and for Bengal.

Soon after the hearing concluded, several Trinamool leaders took to social media, calling the verdict a victory in the battle led by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who had appeared and argued before a division bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

"Hello @ECISVEEP and @CEOWestBengal - stop your dirty tricks. Micro observers have NO statutory authority as confirmed in Supreme Court today. Their only duty is to observe, NOT accept/reject. They WILL be held accountable if they exceed their brief. Simple," party MP Mahua Moitra wrote on her official social media handle.

BJP state chief Samik Bhattacharya, on his part, said that the apex court had “painted white over the black scarf” that Trinamool leaders, including Mamata, wore during their Delhi visit last week.

“The Supreme Court has made it clear that the Constitution applies equally to all states and is no different in Bengal. Today’s court order proves that the administration, the state government and the TMC are jointly responsible for the harassment faced by common people, the elderly, and prominent personalities in Bengal during the SIR process,” Bhattacharya said in Delhi.

He claimed that Trinamool's attempt to stop the SIR, helmed by Mamata, suffered a setback in the Supreme Court.

“We have been saying that there will be no election without completion of the SIR process,” Bhattacharya said. “The Supreme Court has dismissed the chief minister’s claims and issued a show-cause notice to the state’s DGP over the law and order, vandalism, and incidents of arson allegedly carried out with administrative support."

The CPM claimed that the Supreme Court rebuked both Trinamool and the BJP.

“Despite having adequate staff, the Mamata Banerjee government did not deploy them. The court rebuked the government and directed it to deploy the staff by tomorrow. So it was a slap in the face for the TMC, as it proved they intentionally harassed people. The BJP was also pulled up, as the court extended time (by a week from February 14) for scrutiny,” said CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty.