Maharashtra SIR: Supreme Court Seeks EC Reply on 3 Crore Deletions
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Supreme Court on Monday, 26 October, issued notice to the Election Commission of India on a petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Maharashtra’s voter rolls, which the petitioner says has struck off about 3 crore of the state’s roughly 9 crore voters. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana refused to pass any interim order without hearing the Commission and listed the case, Arun Anandagiri v. Election Commission of India, for 5 November, LiveLaw reported from the hearing.
No Extra Time for Claims Yet
The petition asked the court to extend the window for claims and objections, which it said closed on the day of the hearing, and to stop the Commission from finalising the roll, due on 6 November. The bench declined both requests for now. Voters whose names were dropped still have to use the existing forms until the court rules.
Senior advocate Arvind P Datar, for the petitioner, said Form 6 is meant for first-time voters, so people who have voted before could be making a false declaration by filling it. Chief Justice Surya Kant said, “Nobody will be prosecuted.”
Also read Voters Deleted in SIR Can Apply Again Through Form 6: Delhi HC
1.22 Crore Flagged for “Logical Discrepancy”
According to the petition, 1.22 crore of the deletions were made on the ground of “logical discrepancy”. Datar told the court that many voters in Pune and Mumbai were marked “person not found” after moving out during building redevelopment, and that about 40% of voters in those cities were missing. The Commission had moved the deadline for claims once before, from 30 September to 12 October, PTI reported in September.
IPB News reported earlier on the state-wise SIR deletion figures and on the Commission’s refusal to name the software used to flag errors.
Hearing on 5 November, Final Roll a Day Later
The case returns on 5 November, one day before the final roll is due. The Election Commission had not responded publicly to the petition by 2:50 PM IST on 26 October. The court has not yet said whether deleted voters will get a separate form.
Source: Based on reporting by LiveLaw. Also based on reporting by ThePrint / PTI and Bar & Bench.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
