In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought a probe into alleged electoral roll manipulation. The PIL was filed following claims made by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi regarding the manipulation of voter lists in Bengaluru Central and other constituencies.
A bench comprising justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi stated that the petitioner is free to raise these concerns directly with the Election Commission of India (ECI) if they deem it appropriate. The court, in its brief order, expressed its disinclination to entertain the petition, remarking, “We have heard the petitioner’s counsel. We are not inclined to entertain the petition, which is purportedly filed in public interest. The petitioner may pursue before ECI, if so advised.”
The counsel for the PIL petitioner, advocate Rohit Pandey, argued that a representation made to the ECI had not been acted upon. However, the bench remained unconvinced, suggesting Pandey pursue other legal remedies.
The petition had requested the Supreme Court to halt the finalization of electoral rolls until an independent audit was conducted, emphasizing the need for transparency. It also called for electoral rolls to be published in accessible, machine-readable formats for public scrutiny.
The plea referenced Rahul Gandhi’s press conference on August 7, where he alleged a “huge criminal fraud” in elections due to alleged collusion between the BJP and the ECI. Gandhi had cited an analysis of voter rolls in a Karnataka constituency, claiming widespread manipulation and describing it as “vote chori (vote theft)” and “an atom bomb on our democracy.”
The petition also highlighted the Supreme Court’s stance on free and fair elections being a fundamental aspect of the Constitution’s basic structure, arguing that this principle should not be undermined.
Following Gandhi’s allegations, the chief electoral officers of Karnataka and Maharashtra had requested him to provide details and a signed declaration regarding the allegedly incorrect electors. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had also stated that Gandhi needed to file an affidavit affirming his claims within seven days to avoid rendering them baseless.
The petition further urged the Supreme Court to establish clear guidelines for the ECI to ensure greater transparency and accountability in the preparation and maintenance of electoral rolls, including measures to prevent duplicate or fictitious entries.
The PIL pointed to specific discrepancies, citing an example from Maharashtra where nearly 39 lakh new voters were added to the rolls between the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the run-up to the Assembly polls, a significant increase compared to the previous five years.