The Supreme Court has expressed concerns about the Election Commission's instruction to deleted voters in Delhi to fill Form 6, instead of allowing them to use Form 8 or the enumeration form.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court raised questions about the Election Commission's (EC) instructions regarding the registration process for voters who were deleted from the draft voter lists in Delhi. The court observed that there would be numerous voters in Delhi who may have missed receiving enumeration forms due to changes in residential addresses or travel during the exercise period. As a result, the court asked why voters cannot now be allowed to fill the enumeration form or Form 8, which is for changing addresses, instead of Form 6. This is significant because Form 6, used for registering first-time voters, requires applicants to declare that they have not been electors before. The bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant also expressed concerns about the potential impact on voters who were excluded during the special intensive revision and have since moved residences or traveled extensively. The court's observations came after a petition was filed by activists Anjali Bharadwaj and Amrita Johri, who have raised concerns about the voter roll revision process. Prashant Bhushan, the counsel for the petitioners, mentioned that 43 lakh voters in Delhi had been deleted from the draft list for having shifted. The court's remarks followed assurances made by the Supreme Court on Monday that voters would not be prosecuted for submitting Form 6 to restore their names after being excluded during the special intensive revision. It is important to note that the enumeration phase of the exercise in Delhi was held in July. This development raises concerns about the voter roll revision process and its potential impact on genuine voters. The counsel representing the Election Commission stated that the authorities will examine the court's suggestions.
Source:
Scroll.in
