Supreme Court says voter names can be added to electoral rolls even after SIR completion; inclusion remains a continuing process

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Friday said completion of special intensive revision (SIR) does not mean electoral rolls have been frozen, a statement that would put to rest the apprehension that names removed from draft rolls cannot be restored to the voters’ list and such persons are rendered permanently disabled from exercising their franchise.Hearing petitions challenging SIR in UP, Kerala and Chhattisgarh, a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana refused to extend the deadline. It said no extension was needed as inclusion of voters’ names is a continuing process.Senior advocate D S Naidu said people could apply for inclusion even after SIR, with additions possible until nominations are filed for an election.EC, however, admitted lapses by UP officials in accepting bulk Form 7. It said corrective steps were taken and action was initiated against erring officials. SC allowed the petitioner to flag discrepancies to EC.EC said Kerala’s SIR was completed in Feb and the last assembly polls were held using rolls prepared after it. CPM, through advocate G Prakash, said 24 lakh voters were still excluded. SC asked CPM to provide details of voters who could not submit enumeration forms because of insufficient time, enabling EC to examine the cases and take corrective action.

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, appearing for another petitioner, alleged large-scale voter deletions during Kerala SIR and sought a comprehensive affidavit from EC despite completion of the process. The top court asked EC to respond to the plea as well as Ramachandran’s note.