SC to address EC's voter deletion issue, hearing scheduled

The Supreme Court has indicated it will examine a petition filed in connection with the Delhi SIR case, which raises questions about how the Election Commission handles the restoration of deleted voters. The court's assurance came during hearing of an application seeking intervention in the matter.

The petition argues that restored voters should not be required to go through the registration process as fresh voters. Instead, it seeks a direction to the Election Commission to develop a formal mechanism that can reinstate deleted voters to their original status without treating them as new applicants.

The application highlights concerns about the bureaucratic burden placed on voters whose names have been removed from electoral rolls and subsequently restored. Petitioners contend that such voters should not face the same procedural requirements as first-time voters seeking registration.

The Supreme Court's assurance suggests the bench will take substantive steps to address the issue in due course. The matter remains pending, with the court expected to schedule further hearings to examine the Election Commission's current procedures and consider whether modifications are necessary to streamline voter restoration processes.