Supreme Court asks poll panel to examine bulk filing of Form 7 in Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Election Commission of India to examine allegations of bulk filing of Form 7 applications seeking deletion of the names of voters from electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh and take necessary corrective measures.

The direction came after the court was informed about alleged irregularities in the filing of Form 7 applications, including instances in which a large number of objections were submitted against voters belonging to a particular community.

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The petitioners' counsel told the court that in one assembly constituency, 32 Form 7 applications had been submitted against members of a community. He alleged that two of the applications on record bore the signatures of booth-level officers and that there were material inconsistencies in the Election Commission's affidavit.

The counsel said similar complaints in Telangana and Karnataka had led to directions for registration of FIRs, whereas no comparable action had been taken in UP. Describing the alleged irregularities as an orchestrated effort, he sought the court's intervention.

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Senior advocate DS Naidu, appearing for the Election Commission, acknowledged that bulk Form 7 applications had been submitted, but maintained that the commission had not acted upon them. He told the court that officials checked and cross-checked the applications, found them to be false and consequently refrained from acting on them. Naidu also submitted that the commission could examine the specific allegations upon receiving a formal complaint.

Taking note of the submissions, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed that the irregularities brought to its notice be placed before the senior counsel representing the Election Commission through a written note. "On receipt thereof, let the Election Commission examine the factual aspects, thereafter take necessary corrective steps and file a compliance report," the bench directed.

The direction requires the poll panel to examine the specific instances brought before it, verify the factual details and take corrective action wherever irregularities are established.

Form 7 is the prescribed application under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, for seeking deletion of an elector's name from the electoral roll or raising an objection to the inclusion of a name. Such an objection is required to be supported by the prescribed particulars and grounds. The issue assumes significance in the backdrop of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in UP.

Under the prescribed procedure, an objection to the inclusion of a name or an application seeking deletion has to be examined by the electoral registration officer. The person whose name is sought to be deleted is also entitled to an opportunity of being heard before a decision is made.