Maharashtra SIR after Express investigation: Bombay HC moved over ‘unilateral administrative orders’, hearing on Oct 22

On Monday, the Bombay High Court's Kolhapur Bench decided against providing an urgent hearing to a petition that contests 14 administrative decisions made by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding electoral rolls. The petition, submitted by advocate Asim Sarode, raises worries about voter registration, the removal and reinstatement of names, access to the electoral-roll database, the functioning of Electoral Registration Officers, and aspects of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Maharashtra.

The petition was heard by a division bench of Justices Sharmila Deshmukh and Neeraj Dhote, but they declined to grant an immediate hearing due to their busy caseload. The plea challenges 14 actions taken over the past ten months, which the petitioners claim faced objections from Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

These objections reportedly pertained to modifications in Form 6, voter registration and deletion, and access to the electoral-roll database. The petition asserts that decisions regarding the preparation, revision, and maintenance of electoral rolls were enacted despite objections raised by Sandhu and Joshi.

The petitioners are requesting the invalidation of the 14 impugned actions, a suspension of the SIR exercise in Maharashtra, and the reinstatement of names supposedly deleted from electoral rolls. They have also asked for a postponement of upcoming Assembly elections in states where SIR was carried out until legally sound electoral rolls are prepared and approved.

Additionally, the petition seeks the formation of an independent judicial committee, led by a retired High Court judge, to investigate alleged irregularities in data deletion and software-related procedures.

The petition invokes constitutional provisions, particularly Articles 14 and 326 of the Constitution, which the petitioners claim have been undermined by the alleged actions. The matter is expected to be heard on October 22. For more information on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai and surrounding areas, interested parties can visit https://budgetproperties.in/.