‘Satisfied with EC's response’, SC closes plea raising issue of duplicate voter entries

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday closed the proceedings on a plea for deletion of duplicate entries from the electoral rolls, saying that it is satisfied with the response furnished by the Election Commission.

A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said that the EC led by its counsel Amit Sharma has filed a comprehensive affidavit, where it clarified the procedure followed in case of demographically similar entries and photo similar entries.

However, the counsel for the petitioner, NGO Samvidhan Bachao Trust, insisted that the ECI has not done any exercise.

However, the bench said no further directions are required in the matter.

“We accordingly close the proceedings at this stage,” the bench said.

On February 5, the apex court had directed the EC to submit a brief note when instructions have been provided by the chief electoral officers (CEO) to the district electoral officers (DEO), there is no reference to duplicate entries.

In its short note, the EC said during the house-to-house verification by the block level officers (BLOs), among others, information with regards to expired/shifted/repeated electors were also collected through off- line/on-line mode in BLO Register.

During the course of revision of electoral roll, various meetings (off line/on line) with CEOs/DEOs were also held, wherein all instructions including with regards to deletion of multiple/duplicate entries were also reiterated while reviewing the progress of the process.

“In addition, an IT-enabled system generates lists of probable Demographic Similar Entries (DSEs) & Photo Similar Entries (PSEs). Hence, House-to-House verification is as an assistive tool for the ERO (electoral registration officer)/AEROs, who has to complete the process as defined in the concerned Act & Rules. Deletion of all such entries is done by the EROs/AEROs on the basis of Form-7 only," the note said.

It also pointed out in order to avoid possibility of any wrongful deletion from the electoral roll a detailed SOP ‘Safeguards against wrongful deletions’ is followed.

“All of the Election Commission of India’s guidelines, issued from time to time with regards to revision of roll including the deletion of dead, permanently shifted and multiple/duplicate electors, were conveyed and briefed by the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the States/Union Territories through the District Election Officers (DEOs) to all the members of electoral machinery down the line up to the level of Block Level Officers (BLOs)," the note said.

The EC said, besides, all the deletions from the electoral roll are done in accordance with well-defined protocol and procedure and following the principle of natural justice by providing reasonable opportunity to the electors and all stakeholders.

“In each case of deletion, notice is issued and opportunity for filing an objection and hearing is given. The EC also ensures utmost transparency at each stage of revision of roll, so that people can beforehand check entries in electoral roll and can file any claim or objection, to avoid any post facto objection or grievances,” the note said.

The poll panel also stressed that it has given clear instructions to the CEOs of all the states/union territories for the removal of multiple entries/dead electors/permanently shifted electors.