The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to examine allegations of irregularities involving bulk submission of Form 7 applications for deletion of names from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Uttar Pradesh.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana directed the petitioners to furnish a note identifying unresolved irregularities to the ECI.
"The irregularities which have been brought to the notice of the Court shall be submitted to learned senior counsel appearing for the Election Commission of India by way of a note. On receipt thereof, let the Election Commission examine the factual aspects, thereafter take necessary corrective steps and file a compliance report," the Court directed.
The Counsel representing petitioner earlier submitted,
"On August 5, Your Lordships asked the Election Commission to respond to our interim application concerning submission of Form 7 before BLOs. Three States were before Your Lordships, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. The issues concerning Chhattisgarh and Kerala have been addressed. This Form 7 issue concerns Uttar Pradesh."
Senior Advocate DS Naidu, representing the ECI, conceded that bulk Form 7 applications were submitted.
However, he added that they were not acted upon.
"We found that bulk Form 7 applications had been submitted. Our officers checked and cross-checked them. They were false, and we have not acted upon them," Naidu said.
The petitioner's counsel, however, said that in one constituency, 32 forms were submitted to target members of one particular community.
"Two forms on record were signed by the BLO. There are material inconsistencies and irreconcilable facts," he said, while referring to the ECI affidavit.
The counsel added that similar things have happened in Telangana and Karnataka, where directions were issued for registration of FIRs.
"In Uttar Pradesh, nothing was done. Therefore, they became emboldened. It is an orchestrated effort," he added.
Naidu said the ECI can examine these claims only once a formal complaint is filed.
"If there is any element of truth, let them file a complaint. Then we can examine it," he said.
Meanwhile, the Court declined to extend the deadline for the SIR verification exercise in Kerala, observing that corrections and inclusion requests can be pursued through a continuing process.
"Find out wherever you feel there are persons who should still be given a chance or opportunity. Bring it to their notice by way of representation. We will tell them to examine it, and we will keep it pending," CJI Kant said.