The Supreme Court of India refused to hear a PIL seeking compulsory voting, calling it a policy matter beyond judicial powers. The Court stressed that democracy depends on awareness, not force, and rejected penalties for non-voters.
The Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging the freezing of electoral rolls ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, raising concerns over pending voter deletion appeals. The case questions whether the EC’s move impacts citizens’ constitutional right to vote.
Kerala High Court held that election duty staff cannot be deprived of their voting rights and must be given postal ballots immediately. The Court directed authorities to issue ballots by 2 PM to ensure free and fair elections.
The Supreme Court cautioned that revision of electoral rolls can seriously affect civil rights if names are excluded from voters’ lists. Hearing challenges to the Election Commission’s SIR exercise, the Court said electoral powers cannot be “untrammelled” and must follow due process.
