The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Election Commission to probe bulk Form 7 voter deletion applications in Uttar Pradesh. The court directed the poll panel to examine these claims and file a compliance report. Senior advocate DS Naidu said, "We found that bulk Form 7 applications had been submitted."
The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to examine alleged bulk Form 7 irregularities in Uttar Pradesh. The scrutiny could trigger corrective action and a formal compliance report.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Election Commission of India to examine allegations of irregularities involving the bulk submission of applications seeking the deletion of names from electoral rolls during a revision exercise in Uttar Pradesh, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The court directed the poll panel to take necessary corrective steps and submit a compliance report after examining the allegations.
Form 7 is used to seek the deletion of a voter's name from a draft electoral roll. The allegations relate to the Election Commission's special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed the petitioners to submit a note to the Election Commission specifying the irregularities that remained unresolved.
"The irregularities which have been brought to the notice of the court shall be submitted to senior counsel appearing for the Election Commission of India by way of a note. On receipt thereof, let the Election Commission examine the factual aspects, thereafter take necessary corrective steps and file a compliance report," the court directed, according to PTI.
A lawyer appearing for one of the petitioners said the issue involving Form 7 concerned Uttar Pradesh. Senior advocate DS Naidu, appearing for the Election Commission, acknowledged that bulk applications had been submitted but said no action was taken on them.
"We found that bulk Form 7 applications had been submitted. Our officers checked and cross-checked them. They were false, and we have not acted upon them," Naidu told the court, PTI reported.
The petitioner's lawyer claimed that 32 forms were submitted in one constituency to target members of a particular community. The Supreme Court asked the Election Commission to examine the matter.
The court was hearing petitions filed by Congress MP Tanuj Punia and others challenging the conduct of the special intensive revision exercise in Uttar Pradesh. It asked the petitioners to list the unresolved irregularities and directed the Election Commission to examine them, take corrective action and file a compliance report.