SC Issues Notice to ECI Over Rahul Gandhi's Electoral Roll Plea
The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the ECI regarding a petition filed by Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc leaders challenging electoral roll revisions.
The Supreme Court of India has stepped into the brewing legal battle between the Opposition and the poll panel. On Thursday, the apex court issued formal notices to the Election Commission of India (ECI) following a petition filed by Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and several prominent leaders of the INDIA bloc.
The petition challenges the Election Commission's conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the petitioners alleging improper voter deletions. The Court has specifically sought explanations from the ECI, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
Court Questions Petitioner's Conduct
While the court took up the substantive legal challenge, it also raised significant concerns regarding the behavior of one of the individuals involved in the litigation. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) expressed strong objections to the conduct of one of the 13 petitioners who filed the plea against the manner of the SIR process.
“We would like to ask one of the petitioners about his conduct on the next date of hearing,” the CJI remarked during the proceedings, signaling that the court's scrutiny will extend beyond the legal merits of the case to the behavior of the litigants themselves.
The Core of the Legal Challenge
The legal battle, registered as W.P.(C) No. 001351/2026, was initiated on October 12 by a heavy-weight group of Opposition leaders. The petition seeks a judicial review to determine if the ECI's decisions regarding the Special Intensive Revision align with constitutional mandates and established legal precedents.
The petitioners are demanding that the court examine whether these actions comply with:
- Article 324 of the Constitution, which governs the superintendence, direction, and control of elections.
- The 2023 law governing the Election Commission.
- The landmark Supreme Court ruling in T.N. Seshan vs Union of India.
Key Leaders Involved in the Plea
The petition carries the weight of the INDIA bloc's top leadership, including:
- Rahul Gandhi (Leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha)
- Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President)
- Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party Chief)
- Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (RJD Leader)
- Supriya Sule (NCP SP Leader)
- Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena UBT Leader)
Demands for Transparency in Voter Lists
At the heart of the Opposition's grievance is the fear of arbitrary voter removal. The petition seeks specific judicial interventions to protect the sanctity of the electoral process. Among the primary reliefs requested are:
- Mandatory Notice: Ensuring that no elector is removed from the rolls without receiving prior notice and a fair opportunity to be heard.
- Public Disclosure: Directing the ECI to publish booth-wise lists of all deleted electors.
- Detailed Justification: Requiring the ECI to provide specific reasons for every deletion, alongside demographic details, to ensure transparency.