Supreme Court Seeks Response Of Election Commission In PIL To Remove Duplicate Entries In Electoral Rolls

The Supreme Court, on Friday (11.11.2023) sough the response of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the issue of duplicate entries in electoral rolls. The bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra was hearing the PIL filed by Samvidhan Bachao Trust, an NGO. 

Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora, representing the petitioner in the matter, asserted that the current process of updating electoral rolls primarily focused on removing names of deceased individuals or those who have changed their place of residence. However, Arora emphasized that no concrete steps had been taken to tackle the issue of duplicate entries in the electoral rolls. Furthermore, Arora pointed out that the exercise for addressing these issues should have already been completed between July and August of the current year, but the same had not been done. She said–

"Everyone who has died, those who have shifted- their names get removed. But there is duplication which nothing was done about. This exercise was to be carried from July-August 2023."

At the outset, the CJI asked–

"Why should we intervene? Go to election commission."

However, Arora submitted that she had written multiple representations to the ECI to no avail. Arora Drew the attention of the court to the format issued in Uttar Pradesh in relation to the addition of electoral rolls and highlighted that no provision was made to deal with duplicate entries in the same. She said–

"The format of UP- It shows that there was nothing related to duplication. Duplication was not addressed."

Taking note of the same, the bench ordered–

"It would be appropriate if we direct that a copy of the petition be served to Mr Amit Sharma, standing counsel for ECI. List on Friday of reopening."

Case Title: Samvidhan Bachao Trust v Election Commission of India W.P.(C) No. 1228/2023 PIL-W

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