New Delhi, 26 October (H.S.): The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking its response to a petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Maharashtra.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined to pass any interim or unilateral order, without first hearing the Election Commission, either extending the deadline for filing claims and objections or restraining the poll panel from publishing the final electoral rolls. The matter will next be heard on November 5.

The petition was filed by Arun Anandgiri. Appearing for him, advocate Arvind P. Datar told the court that nearly 33 per cent of the state’s nine crore voters had been excluded from the draft electoral rolls after their publication. He said the names of around 1.22 crore voters had been removed on the grounds of logical discrepancies.

Datar submitted that the Election Commission was asking the excluded voters to apply afresh for registration by filling out Form 6. He argued that the form was intended for first-time voters and that people who had already exercised their voting rights should not be required to submit it again.

Datar urged the court to direct the Election Commission not to finalise the electoral rolls scheduled for publication on November 6, arguing that no elections were due to be held in Maharashtra immediately. He said it would take time to restore the names of the approximately three crore excluded voters to the rolls.

He further claimed that around 40 per cent of voters were missing from the electoral rolls in Pune and Mumbai. According to him, redevelopment projects had forced many residents in these cities to relocate, but the names of several voters had nevertheless been deleted on the ground that they could not be found.

Seeking an extension of the deadline for publishing the final rolls, Datar argued that the situation in Maharashtra presented a specific set of challenges requiring additional time to address.

He also maintained that a separate form should be introduced for voters whose names had been deleted, arguing that requiring them to submit Form 6 could potentially amount to making a false declaration about their registration status.

Responding to the concern, Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that no action would be taken against anyone merely for filling out Form 6.

Datar also sought an extension of the deadline for filing claims and objections, which was due to expire on Monday. However, the Bench expressed reluctance to grant such relief without first hearing the Election Commission. The Chief Justice noted that the court had extended deadlines in matters relating to SIR exercises in other states.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar