The Delhi High Court has directed the Election Commission to consider a plea concerning duplicate names in Delhi’s voter list, emphasizing the need for advanced technological tools to address the issue. The court noted that while concerns arise before elections, voter list revisions follow established processes and cannot be expedited.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (Jan 15th) directed the Election Commission (EC) to consider a plea regarding alleged duplication of names in Delhi’s voter list and evaluate technological tools to address the issue at an appropriate stage.
The plea, filed by Rashtravadi Aadarsh Mahasangh, a political party, alleged that the voter list in Delhi contains several duplicate entries and sought directions for the adoption of advanced tools to detect and eliminate such duplications.
A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, along with Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, stated,
“There is a process for revision of the electoral roll. It can’t be done at this stage.”
The court acknowledged the petitioner’s concerns but noted that these issues tend to surface before every election.
The petitioner’s counsel expressed urgency, stating that Delhi Assembly elections might conclude before the EC acts on the plea. However, the court maintained that the revision of the voter list follows an established process that cannot be expedited arbitrarily.
The EC’s counsel, Advocate Sidhant Kumar, countered that the petition lacked evidence of duplication and assured the court that the necessary steps for revising electoral rolls had already been taken. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court had addressed this issue earlier.
The court suggested that the Election Commission remain open to evaluating better technological tools for identifying duplicate entries. It stated,
“If the Commission finds technological tools that would assist in eliminating duplicate names, the same should be adopted.”
Disposing of the petition, the court directed the Election Commission to consider the plea’s averments during the appropriate stage of electoral roll revisions. The ruling emphasized the importance of utilizing advanced technology to ensure accurate and fair voter lists.
Case Title: Rashtravadi Adharsh Mahasangh v. ECI & Anr.
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